Redbirds continue hold on first with win over Cyclones

BISMARCK — The Park Hills Redbirds still hold a one-game lead over the Potosi Elks and Leadwood Pirates after they defeated the Arcadia Valley Cyclones 6-0 on Monday while the other two league-leaders were idle.

Redbirds pitcher Tyler Pearl spread out eight hits by the Cyclones over the seven innings to pitch the shut-out. Pearl struck out nine batters and walked none.

The Redbirds scored runs in four innings with the Cyclones limiting the host team to no more than two in any inning with eight runners being stranded in the game. Levi Earnest started the game for the Cyclones with Korey Kelly finishing out the seventh inning.

Levi Moss led off the first inning with a single and was able to advance all the way to third before being forced out at home on a ground ball to third. A pair of Cyclone errors allowed Jon Stabenow to reach base and later score the first run.

Arcadia Valley put together its first two-hit inning in the second, but it came on the heels of two strike-outs by Pearl, and Pearl was able to get a ground-ball, third-out before the Cyclones could do any damage.

Dante Castro led off the second inning for the Redbirds with a free trip to first after being hit by a pitch. Castro stole second and after reaching third on a ground out, he was able to score when the Cyclones caught Brad Bess in a rundown between first and second. Both runners reached base safely, and Bess scored later on an infield single by Stabenow.

The Cyclones threatened to break up the shut-out in the third inning after Chase Kelley beat out an infield single, and Earnest reached base on a strike-three, passed ball, but Pearl notched another strike-out to get out of the mini-jam.

After a lead -off walk by Jake Swain and a double by L.J. Weible put runners at second and third, Castro drove in Swain with a sac fly and Pearl scored Weible with a single into right in the bottom of the third.

Swain hit his second double of the game to lead off the fifth inning, with Pearl again driving him in with his second single.

The Cyclones had their second two-hit inning in the sixth, but Pearl logged three K’s in the inning to avoid any harm.

The Redbirds led off the sixth with two singles and a hit by pitch, but the Cyclones defense came up big to gun down a runner trying to steal second and then turn a double play to end the inning.

The Cyclones will play at home on Monday in a doubleheader against the Leadwood Pirates, and the Redbirds are scheduled to be at home against the Potosi Elks this evening at 7 p.m.