MORAN — Yates Center High got plenty of sterling pitching in the first game of its doubleheader at Marmaton Valley Thursday. Then, the visitors’ bats came alive in the second.
Yates Center’s sweep of Marmaton Valley, 4-0 and 10-9, pushes the visiting Wildcats’ record to 3-2 on the season. Marmaton Valley, meanwhile, remains winless.
Gavin Dillow took the early starring honors for Yates Center. He tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out 14 and allowing only three hits, singles to Jake Kress, Justice Pugh and Keagan Boyd.
Dillow also played a key role on offense. He scored the game’s first run on a two-out double by Dalton Brittan in the top of the first.
Dillow then rifled an RBI double in the fourth for the final run. In between, Dakota Renfro drove in Ryan Moffet on a sac fly and Ty Spencer singled in Braydon Gaulding.
Marmaton Valley put runners on first and second in the first with one out, but Dillow ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts.
Korbin Smith tossed a complete game for Marmaton Valley, surrendering seven hits and three walks with seven strikeouts. Only two of Yates Center’s runs were earned.
Dillow and Brittan both wound up with two hits, including a double. Gaulding also had a double. Spencer, Devon Hathway and Moffet all had singles.
YATES CENTER took a big lead in the second game, then held on for dear life down the stretch.
A pair of Marmaton Valley errors keyed a three-run Yates Center first inning. Brittan smacked an RBI double, while two other runs scored on errant throws.
Dillow pushed the lead to 5-0 in the second on a two-run double. A fielding error and errant throw led to two more runs.
By the time the dust cleared, the score was 8-0.
Marmaton Valley scored two in the fourth, fourth in the fifth and one in the sixth to close to within 10-7. Gage Adams and Boyd each had RBI singles in the bottom of the seventh, but Gaulding induced a strikeout to end the game with two Marmaton Valley runners on base.
Brittan got the start and pitched three scoreless innings. Moffet allowed two runs in his inning of relief. Gaulding pitched the final three frames.
Justice Pugh tossed seven innings, allowing two earned runs and 10 strikeouts. He walked three.
