Denton got the win it had to have in the opener of the Broncos’ best-of-three playoff series against Boswell.

Playing at home and facing the prospect of Pioneers’ ace Nick Fleece on the road in Game 2, junior pitcher Miles Mulkey lifted the Broncos (23-14) to a 6-2 win in Game 1 of the Class 4A Region I quarterfinal at Bronco Field on Thursday night.

DRC/Gary Payne

Denton’s Preston Springer (8) celebrates scoring a run with Dustin Riley, right, during the second inning of Game 1 of a regional quarterfinal playoff series against Saginaw Boswell on Thursday. The Broncos won 6-2.

“This was very important,” Denton head coach Marty Green said. “We will see their ace tomorrow, so it was paramount that we won this one tonight.”

Game 2 is at Boswell at 7 p.m. today.

Mulkey (10-4) struggled with his control, but dominated the Pioneers (21-13) to pick up his fourth win of the postseason. He walked six and hit two, but struck out 13 and allowed only four hits on 115 pitches.

“I was just trying to hit my spots, and I lost my control after a while,” Mulkey said. “I kept trying to find my release point, and I finally got it back after awhile.”

Only a .203 hitter on the season, Mulkey also went 2-for-3 with two RBI, including one of the longest singles ever hit in Bronco Field.

With third baseman Preston Springer and courtesy runner Robert Cazarin on first and second, Mulkey hit a line drive to the 376 sign in left-center field. Thinking he had a home run, he trotted down the line only to see it bounce off the wall, scoring Springer and allowing Cazarin to race around to third.

“I was just walking down to first, but I guess the wind held it up,” Mulkey said. “I wasn’t upset about that. It was still an RBI.”

A wild pitch from Boswell starter Jorge Gallardo (5-2) allowed Cazarin to score for a 2-0 Denton lead.

Right fielder P.J. Andress added to the cushion in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring second baseman Sean Frampton and courtesy runner David Witt with a two-run double to the same spot of the field as Mulkey’s single.

Mulkey’s control issues finally became trouble in the top of the fifth when he walked the bases loaded with two outs before allowing second baseman Morgan Rachall to score on a wild pitch, shaving the lead to 4-1. Mulkey responded with a full-count strikeout to end the inning.

Again in the top of the sixth, the Pioneers appeared to be getting to Mulkey, with shortstop Cameron Mavroulis doubling to the right-center field gap to score designated hitter Rene Cantu and put runners at second and third, with the tying run on second. Again, Mulkey ended the threat, striking out leadoff hitter Rachall and centerfielder Joey Chapman to send the Pioneers back into the field.

“Miles kind of got out of his rhythm a little bit,” Green said. “He bounced back and pitched well there at the end.”

Catcher Abel Baker came up with a gritty 12-pitch at-bat to lead off the bottom of the sixth, fouling off eight consecutive pitches before finally connecting on a single to left. Frampton bunted him over to second, and then Mulkey brought him home with an RBI single to center. A couple of Boswell throwing errors allowed Witt to score while running for Mulkey, and Denton held a comfortable 6-2 lead.

Mulkey plunked Fleece to lead off the top of the seventh, but the Broncos’ defense shut the door quickly. Frampton bobbled a hard-hit grounder but still managed to turn a 4-6-3 double play with shortstop Christian Perry and first baseman Dustin Riley. After a hard-hit grounder to third, Riley then made a great scoop on a throw off the dirt from Springer to end the game.

Riley will be on the hill today, and Mulkey will be watching his head after hitting Fleece in the seventh.

“Dustin has to come out and pitch well tomorrow,” Mulkey said. “They have their ace coming tomorrow. It’s the kid I beaned in the last inning, so I will be hit tomorrow. In the line [post-game handshakes], he said he was going to bean me. I’ll be ready.”

ETHAN B. SZATMARY can be reached at 940-566-6869. His e-mail address is eszatmary@dentonrc.com .

Denton 6, Boswell 2

Class 4A Region I quarterfinal

Boswell         000      011      0          —        2          4          3

Denton          020      202      x          —        6          7          0

Jorge Gallardo and Chase Jones. Miles Mulkey and Abel Baker. WP — Mulkey (10-4); LP — Gallardo (5-2). 2B — B: Cameron Mavroulis; D: P.J. Andress. Records — Boswell — (21-13); Denton (23-14).