The Bellmont Braves won their fourth game in their last five contests after winning on the road in the NE8, beating East Noble 3-2 on the back of starting pitcher Beau Baker, who struck out 15 in a complete game victory.
Baker allowed just three hits, giving up single runs in the fourth and again in the sixth as the Braves never trailed in the game, which moved them up to fifth in the final conference standings. A loss would have tied the Braves for last with the Knights.
Kaigan Lee, who raised his season batting average to .271 with a two-hit night, drove in the first run of the game in the top of the fourth with a double to score Oliver Werling.
The Knights answered back, though, with a home run to center by Ian Ramey on a 2-2 pitch.
Layne LeMaster provided the answer for the Braves immediately, doubling home Isaac Baker to re-take the lead.
Baker shut down the Knights in the next half inning with a pair of strikeouts, atoning for an error by his infield.
Lee got another base hit in the sixth and came around to score with some help from an East Noble error, a wild pitch and a well-placed ground ball to the right side by Jack Schultz.
That 3-1 lead gave Baker enough of a cushion to get through the heart of the East Noble lineup with the lead intact and he used the strikeout to get the final two batters of the game in the seventh, capping off an outstanding performance.
The Braves will attempt to end the regular season with a winning record with four games in the regular season’s final four days, beginning with a road trip to Carroll Wednesday.
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