ERIE — Marmaton Valley High’s bats were popping early Friday.
The Wildcats scored in every inning but one, sparked by Dominic Smith’s two-triple, five-RBI day in a 12-4 victory over Erie.
Alas, the Wildcats could not keep up the momentum in Game 2 against Erie starter Eli Montee, who allowed only three hits in Erie’s 11-1 victory.
The split puts Marmaton Valley at 4-10. The Wildcats were at Oswego for a doubleheader Monday, but results were not available by press time.
Marmaton Valley is back in action at home Thursday against St. Paul.
Smith got things started quickly in the opener, tripling in Tyler Lord for the first run of the game before he, too, came home on Garrett Morrison’s single for a 2-0 lead.
Erie got a run back in the bottom of the first, but Smith answered with a two-run single in the top of the second for a 4-1 advantage.
Kele Michael got into the act in the third frame, driving in Brayden Lawson and Daniel Fewins with a two-out single.
Brendon Newman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth before Lord followed with an RBI grounder, setting the stage for Smith’s second triple of the game, a two-run three-bagger, making it 10-2.
Michael’s RBI single accounted for the Wildcats’ 11th run in the fifth. Fewins capped the scoring in the seventh with a sacrifice fly.
Fewins went 3-for-4 with two triples. Michael doubled and singled twice. Mason Ferguson added a pair of singles. Lord, Fewins, Morrison and Brevyn Campbell also singled as part of the 12-hit attack.
Lord narrowly missed out on a complete-game victory. He went 6.1 innings, striking out seven and scattering 13 hits. Morrison came on in relief, striking out the only two batters he faced.
GAME 2 had all the markings of a pitchers duel between Smith and Erie’s Montee.
Erie was leading 1-0 in the top of the third before Lord was hit by a pitch with two outs. He stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Smith smashed a single to center.
But a dropped third strike in the bottom of the fourth turned into trouble. A walk, double-steal and RBI single put the Red Devils on top for good, 3-1. Four more runs crossed the plate before the inning ended. Erie ended the game with four more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
