Late Rally Falls Short as ZooKeepers Drop Thriller to Mustangs

McCrary Park – June 26, 2025

Despite a furious ninth-inning rally that brought three runs across, the Asheboro ZooKeepers came up just short in a 7–6 loss to the Martinsville Mustangs on Thursday night. In a game filled with momentum swings, Asheboro’s late push wasn’t enough to overcome defensive miscues and timely Mustang hitting.

McDaniel Shines Early, Errors Prove Costly

Southpaw Mason McDaniel gave the ZooKeepers six strong innings, allowing just three unearned runs while striking out five. But Asheboro’s five errors loomed large, leading to extra chances for the Mustangs, who capitalized in the late innings.

The Mustangs used a two-run seventh to break a 2–2 tie, then added two more in the eighth off reliever Jeremiah Hampton. Andrew Schmid and Mason Reising delivered key RBIs to stretch the lead to 7–3 heading into the final frame.

ZooKeepers Battle Back in the Ninth

Down four runs, Asheboro didn’t go quietly. Jake Griffith led the way with his third hit of the night, while Cole Kitchens drove in two with a double to pull the ZooKeepers within one. Davis Germann followed with an RBI knock to make it 7–6 and put the tying run on base.

But Mustangs closer Maddox Burkitt recorded the final out to strand the potential equalizer, sealing the save and a hard-fought win for Martinsville.

Final: Mustangs 7, ZooKeepers 6

Asheboro out-hit Martinsville 11–7, with standout performances from Griffith (3-for-5, 3 R), Kitchens (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), and Elijha Hammill (2-for-5, RBI). Seojun Oh drew three walks and added two RBIs, bringing his season total to 19.

Despite the offensive output, Asheboro’s defense struggled with five errors and a pair of costly double plays turned against them. The loss drops the ZooKeepers to 13–9 on the season.

Next Game:

📍 Asheboro ZooKeepers at Martinsville Mustangs
📅 Friday, June 27 – 7:00 PM at Hooker Field
🎧 Listen live: https://zkbaseball.mixlr.com