Barton Tops Moundsville for Third Time This Season

CRESCENT -- For the third time in less than a week, Barton has dominated Moundsville in Ohio Valley Baseball League action.

Eli Petho and Ben Taylor combined on a two-hitter as the Braves (5-1) claimed a 6-1 decision over the Expos (2-4) on Henning Field inside Pramesa Park. Petho struck out seven and yielded one hit in earning the win. Taylor relieved in the fifth and fanned four. The pair issued half-a-dozen walks, but each worked out of a bases-loaded jam.

"Our pitching so far this season has been excellent except for the one outing," Barton player/assistant manager Nick Koval said. "I think in the three games against Moundsville we've only used five pitchers.

Barton had previously downed Moundsville 16-2 and 5-0.

"Eli pitched well and so did Ben," Koval added. "Pitching is the key in this league."

The Braves scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the first inning, with some help from the Expos who committed three errors that led to a 3-0 deficit.

Isaac Rine knocked in the first run while the next two came across via errors. Barton made it 4-0 in the second when Rine singled sharply through the left side of the infield as Dmitri Collaros raced home.

The Expos cut into the deficit in the fourth as player/manager Matt Carnahan curved a 2-1 offering around the left field foul pole for a leadoff home run. The visitors then proceeded to load the bags with two base-on-balls and a hit batter, but Petho buckled down and struck the next two hitters. He escaped further damage by inducing an inning-ending groundball.

Niko Petrides made it 5-1 with a sacrifice fly that plated Collaros in the bottom of the frame.

Moundsville, which hasn't won since sweeping Maynard on opening day, also had the bases juiced in fifth, but Taylor, a Wheeling Park product, wiggled his way out of trouble with a strikeout.

"We just aren't hitting the ball right now," Carnahan admitted. "I think I just counted five hits in this losing streak. I might have jinxed us on opening day when I said I was surprised with our hitting, but we'll come around."

Barton concluded the scoring in the bottom of the sixth. Tanner Werkmann crossed the plate on a Collaros groundout.

Moundsville's Doug Clark, a former Bishop Donahue performer, was saddled with the loss.

Collaros had two singles for the Braves.

GAME NOTE

* Sunday marked the second consecutive game the Braves have played without manager Billy Timko. The veteran skipper suffered a heart attack Friday after mowing the outfield grass. He is scheduled for triple by-pass surgery today.