Keghan West did all he could from the mound Thursday, but the defense behind him committed five costly errors, helping Ballard claim a 6-2 win in Raccoon River Conference baseball at Progressive Field Thursday.
West held the Bombers (8-1, 4-0) to only two hits in six innings, but five of the six runs for the visitors were unearned. The guests received six walks, with West hitting two batter and striking out three.
Trailing, 2-0, Perry (0-7, 0-5) tied the game in their first at-bat. Kaleb Olejniczak singled, then moved to third on a perfectly-executed hit-and-run when Justin Stammer stroked a base hit into left field.
West was out on a squeeze bunt that scored Olejniczak, with Conner Kenyon following with a single. Kenyon then induced a run-down between first and second base, and although he was eventually tagged out, the resulting intentional confusion allowed Stammer to scamper home with the tying run.
Three unearned runs in the second inning and another in the third gave the Bombers a 6-2 lead and proved the final scoring of the game.
Perry had one of their better hitting nights, with several batters taking outside pitches and dumping the ball into right field. Olejniczak had two hits, as did Kenyon, with Stammer and Kato Dougan adding singles.
Connor Finch allowed six hits and a walk while striking out seven in six innings. Logan Volkmann pitched the seventh, walking two and hitting one to load the bases before a bases-loaded ground out ended the game. Volkmann struck out two.
Dougan entered after West walked the first batter of the seventh. A line-drive double-play and a ground out stopped Ballard from adding to their lead.
Perry was coming off a 5-1 Wednesday loss at Bondurant-Farrar.
Leading 1-0, the hosts suddenly surged to 5-0 when Jordan Collins ripped a grand slam in the third inning. Perry scored in the seventh when Olejniczak singled home West.
Avery Meister, Alex Morales and West had sngles, with Stammer doubling, walking and stealing a bag.
Meister surrendered five runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out eight in taking the loss.
Nathan Anderson went six frames for B-F, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out 14. Jake Edenburn fanned three in one inning but allowed four hits and a run.
Perry visits Gilbert Tuesday and ADM Wednesday before hosting Saydel for a non-conference game Thursday.
