The Jays got out to a 5-run lead in the fourth inning and held on for an 8-6 victory over the MacStrength Grizzlies on Friday. The Grizzlies tried to close the gap by scoring on a double, a single, and two separate sacrifice flies.
The Grizzlies got on the board in the first inning after Braden Ebeling singled, scoring two runs and striking fear quickly into supporters of the swarm. But it wasn’t long, and the Jays made the score 4-2 in the bottom of the first after Jonah Hoeg hit into a double play, but one run scored. Dustan Green singled, scoring one run, and Isaac Heilman singled, scoring two runs.
Prior Lake added to their early lead in the bottom of the third inning scoring on a wild pitch, and then David Flasher singled, scoring another run.
Tyus Smith started on the mound for the Prior Lake Jays. He gave up one hit and two runs over four innings, striking out three and walking three. Ethan Schmitz stepped on the hill first for the MacStrength Grizzlies. He surrendered eight hits and six runs (five earned) over two and one-third innings, striking out one and walking two. In relief for the Jays were Trevor Mong, Joe Stelzig, and Charles Running, each tossing an inning of relief. Mong allowed two runs (none earned) on one hit, Stelzig gave up one hit, striking out one and walking none, while Running came in to close, allowing two runs on one hit with one strikeout and one walk.
The Jays tallied 10 hits in the game. Heilman, the number eight hitter for Prior Lake Jays, led the way with two runs batted in. The right fielder went 1-for-3 on the day. Green and Tomas Lee each collected two hits for the Prior Lake Jays.
The Grizzlies’s Ebeling went 1-for-4 at the plate as the second baseman led the team with two runs batted in. Graham Sullivan, Calvin Harris, Ebeling, and Joe Merchlewitz each collected one hit for MacStrength.
The Jays are back in action on Sunday when they welcome the Burnsville Bobcats to Veterans Field in Prior Lake for a 6:00 pm first pitch.