Photo by Andrew Grimm Brilliant’s Collin Holmes throws out a pitch during Friday night’s game against Weirton. Holmes went the distance for Post 573 striking out eight batters in the process.

CONNORVILLE — Keith Rejonis knows exactly what he is going to get from Collin Holmes when he pencils him in as his starter.

The Post 573 manager gave Holmes the ball Friday evening at Bill Mazeroski Field, and his ace rewarded him with a gem on the mound to lead Brilliant to a 5-1 victory over Weirton Post 10.

“When he goes on the mound, I know I’m not going to get grey hair that day,” Rejonis said. “When we have him on the mound, I feel comfortable because I know he will fight through it all and do anything you want for the team. He just has such control. When a pitch isn’t working, he can adjust.”

Holmes, a Shadyside product, used 98 pitches to go the distance, fanning eight and walking just one in allowing one earned run. He threw 68 of his pitches went for strikes.

“My curveball and my slider were working,” Holmes said. “I was getting it off the plate on the outside corner and it was hard to hit. It feels great to have nice weather and be on the field. I really looked forward to playing on this team. I enjoy playing with a bunch of guys that want to be here and have fun playing baseball.”

Providing a big hit for Post 573 (4-3) was his Tigers teammate Anthony Coggins, who doubled and singled, the latter driving in a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it a four-run lead.

“Anyone who followed his high school season in Shadyside knows he is one of the best hitters around,” Rejonis said. “When he comes up to the plate, we know he is dependable. He is going to drive the ball. I’m really happy when he comes up with runners on.”

Weirton (0-6) got on the board first and had a couple of opportunities to add to the lead, but could not capitalize, standing six runners in the game — four in scoring position.

“We have to put our foot on people’s throats when we have a chance,” Weirton manager Jason Swartzmiller said. “We have to be able to get that big hit when we need it. We need the approach at the plate to get runs in. When we let a team hang around, we let them continue to gain confidence and it bites us.”

Off to a rough start to the season, the recent weather causing cancellations did not do Post 10 any favors.

“We haven’t played in a week and a half,” Swartzmiller said. “With that in mind, I was happy with the way we came out. There were a few places we showed a little rust, but we weren’t too rusty.

“We’ve been able to get a couple practices in, but it’s been in the outfield hitting wiffle balls and stuff like that.

“We play a lot of games here coming up, so hopefully that will help us.”

Weirton got on the board first in the top of the second when Nick Leonard doubled, stole third and scored on Justin Pennybacker’s groundout to short.

That, however, would be all the offense Post 10 would get as Holmes found his rythm, fanning the side in order in the top of the fourth.

Weirton starter Bryson Walls did not allow Post 573 to get a hit in the first three innings and had not issued a walk to that point, but in the fourth things changed in a hurry.

Coggins doubled to left with a well-hit ball to lead off, then Holmes drew a walk to put two on. Shayne Christian reached on a bunt single to load the bases.

Bobby Roth hit into a 5-2-3 double play, with Coggins out at the plate, putting two away. Walls looked like he was going to escape the jam, but Cody Albaugh put a hard grounder through the infield to score two. He attempted to get to second on a throw to the plate, but was tagged out to end the inning.

“I think we hit ball harder (Friday), even though they were on the ground,” Rejonis said. “Our philosophy is hard-hit grounders win ball games. They field some, but they are hard to field. We got one through and got two runs off of it. We barreled the ball up a little bit better.”

After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth worked by Holmes, Joey Dawson replaced Walls and Caden Price led off the bottom half with a single, then Chase Ward walked.

After a flyout, Mason Goddard put a ball in play that scored Price. Next, Coggins lined a ball down the right-field-line to plate two more and make it 5-1.

After giving up a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, Holmes fanned the final two batters to end the game.

Wheeling 15

New Martinsville 2

NEW MARTINSVILLE — Jon Milton belted a home run along with a single and three RBI as Wheeling defeated New Martinsville.

Trevor Thomas was also solid for Post 1 as he tallied three hits (two singles, one double) and brought home three runs.

Zach Taylor had two RBI and a single while Eli Petho had a pair of singles.

For Post 28, Caden Cisar had a RBI single.