Visiting Gilbert put six runs on the board in their first at-bat and never looked back, limiting Perry to one run on four hits in a 16-1 non-conference win at Progressive Field Tuesday.
The Tigers (2-0) scratched across a single tally in the second inning and three more in the third to open a 10-0 gulf. Perry put a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, but six fifth-inning tallies from Gilbert ended the game early.
Perry’s run came when senior Kegan West led off the fourth with a ringing double off the fence in left field. He moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Rylee Ray, with a two out walk to Gavin Hegstrom and a hit batsman to Drake Levan loading the bases. West trotted home when Caden Steva drew a base on balls, but a strikeout limited the damage.
Senior Kato Dougan was given the start on the mound. He threw three innings, surrendering 10 runs (eight earned) on nine hits while walking one and striking out two.
Freshman Fausto Beato threw 1-1/3 innings of relief and was touched for five runs on one hit, four walks and a hit batman while striking out three. West recorded the final two outs from the bump, yielding a run on two hits with one strikeout, one walk and one hit batsman.
Perry was guilty of seven wild pitches, three passed balls and three errors.
Ray, Meister and Dougan all had base hits for the hosts, with Hegstrom, Steva and Juan Hernandez all drawing walks while Levan was hit by the first varsity pitch he saw.
Bryce Bruggeman started and threw three innings for Gilbert. He struck out one and walked one. Johnny Hart relieved for two frames, surrendering a run with three strikeouts, two walks and two hit batsman. Both pitchers allowed two hits.
Jacob Papesh had two hits and walk for the guests, with Nick Chasey having two singles and a double. Jake Shedarowich had a single and a double, with Eli Eldred and Owen Blumhagen both adding doubles.
Perry hosts ADM tonight before visiting Saydel Thursday.
