Jacob Anliker of MHS, right, steals second base against Dublin Jerome on Friday. The Monarchs rolled to a 9-3 victory over the Celtics. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The Marysville Monarchs exploded for nine runs in the home half of the opening inning on Friday.
They made their lead hold up the rest of the way as they rolled to a 10-3 victory over Dublin Jerome.
“Scoring that many runs in the first inning was huge,” said MHS coach Nick Blake. “It allowed everyone, including Justin (pitcher DeHoff), to relax and play well.”
The game marked Marysville’s Senior Day and was played alternately in a various force of rain and then some sunshine.
The Monarchs (8-13) ripped Jerome starting pitcher Egan O’Hara for six hits during his lone inning of work. He also hit a couple of batters as Marysville sent 11 people to the plate.
DeHoff put the Celtics down in order during the home half of the first frame.
Ashton Schmutz and Christian Colvin both singled to begin MHS’ half of the initial inning.
Jack Christian was plunked by a pitch to juice the sacks.
Tristan Burns drove all three runners in with a double.
He later scored when Jerome played Bailey Wade’s base hit into an error.
Alden Prohaska reached on another fielding miscue and Jacob Anliker walked to load the bases.
Michael Beverlin’s double brought in three runs as Marysville’s lead climbed to 7-0.
Schmutz went to the plate for the second time in the inning and singled in MHS’ eighth run.
The Monarchs elevated their advantage to 9-0 on Colvin’s sacrifice fly.
The Celtics earned their first run in the top of the second.
Matt McClements led off with a double and Nathan Kirk was hit by a pitch.
A fielder’s choice off Brayden Krenzel’s bat left runners at the corners with one out.
Caden Lockwood drove in Jerome’s run with a sacrifice fly.
The Monarchs got out of the inning with a rundown.
Marysville remained off the scoreboard during the next four innings against Celtic relief pitcher Sammy Stoner.
Jerome scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to narrow its deficit to 9-3.
DeHoff lost a little sight of his control during the fifth.
With one down, he hit a batter and issued consecutive walks to load the bases.
A sacrifice fly by McClements cut the Celtics’ gap to 9-2.
A grounder, however, ended the inning.
Jerome’s final run came during the sixth.
The Dublin team loaded the bases with two down on a pair of base hits and an error.
A hit batsman brought in the Celtics’ final run.
Marysville, whose portion of the scoreboard hadn’t moved since the bottom of the first, plated its 10th run in the home half of the sixth.
Christian legged out an infield single and stole second.
He was lifted in favor of pinch runner Dustin Hein.
Hein advanced to third on a wild pitch.
With one down, Wade reached base on an error, which allowed Hein to race home for a 10-3 advantage.
Prohaska also reached on a fielding miscue, but Stoner got out of the inning with a fielder’s choice and fly ball out.
DeHoff got Jerome’s lead-off batter to fly out in the seventh.
He put his fifth strikeout in the book before issuing his fourth free pass.
A grounder, however, allowed the Monarchs to walk off the diamond with the victory.
“We had better approaches to the plate, especially early in the game,” said Blake. “That just settles everyone down.”
The Monarchs will return to action today with a road trip to Cincinnati Moeller.
DJ 010 011 0-3 4 5
MHS 900 001 x-10 8 3
WP-DeHoff
LP-O’Hara