By KYLE LOVERN

Sports Editor

BELFRY, Ky. - Belfry High School split a pair of baseball games earlier this week. The Pirates defeated East Ridge in their season opener 5-2 Monday, but dropped their first home game to Prestonsburg 9-5 on Tuesday.

In the road game at East Ridge Zac Fields picked up the mound win in relief allowing only one hit, striking out seven batters and only walking one.

Belfry plated four runs in the third inning. Howie Dotson got the rally started with a single, Reed Williamson followed with a walk and Zack Francisco singled to load the bases. They Tyler Williams drove in a pair of runs with a single. Keegan Fields singled to drive in another run and Williams scored on at East Ridge wild pitch.

Coach Mike Hagy’s team got another run in the fifth after Madison Ghormley singled in William who had reached base on an error. Dotson, Francisco and Fields each had two hits for Belfry.

Tyler Bentley was the losing pitcher for East Ridge.

In the loss to Prestonsburg Williams took the loss on the mound for Belfry. Freshman Keaton Taylor entered the game and pitched three impressive innings, striking out five Blackcat batters.

Belfry jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first frame, but was unable to hold onto the lead. IN the bottom of the initial inning, Dotson singled and then stole second base. Joey Duty walked and Williams knocked in Dotson with a single. Fields then added another RBI base hit, followed by another RBI single by Eli Huddle, which scored Williams.

The Pirates scored another run in the 4^th on a passed ball and then Williams doubled in Francisco in the 6^th inning after he had reached on an error.

Prestonsburg scored five times in the 5^th inning to go ahead and added two more runs in the 4^th and 7^th inning for insurance.

Belfry was scheduled to play host to Logan today at the BHS field.

Score by innings:

Belfry ……….. 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 – 5 9 1

East Ridge ….. 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 – 2 4 1

Prestonsburg … 0 0 5 2 0 0 2 – 9 8 2

Belfry ……….. 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 – 5 8 2