Photo by Kim North Martins Ferry’s Mason Redinger works to the plate during Monday’s Buckeye 8 baseball game against visiting Union Local. He went the distance as the Purple Riders picked up their first win of the season, 14-4, in six innings over the Jets. Redinger struck out four, walked three and scattered six hits.

MARTINS FERRY — Entering Monday’s Buckeye 8 baseball game against visiting Union Local, Martins Ferry had only scored five runs in four losses. That all changed in one inning.

Sending 17 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning, the Purple Riders (1-4) erased a 1-0 deficit by scoring 11 runs on nine hits en route to a 14-4 victory in a game halted in the bottom of the sixth due to the OHSAA mercy rule.

“We got a couple hits in the first inning and then we turned into Barry Bonds trying to hit everything off the top of the trees,” Martins Ferry head coach Anthony Reasbeck assessed. “Our approach (at the plate) changes if there is a guy on second base. We get tight and then we get too free-swinging. It’s frustrating at times.”

Alex Moore raced home with two outs in the top of the first when a 3-2 pitch to Evan White sailed to the backstop to give Union Local a 1-0 lead. It was short-lived, however.

Baron Lucey doubled off the fence in left leading off and Hunter Shutler walked. Ayden Ludolph lined an RBI single to right that plated Lucey. Kolson Ludolph then singled and Turner Krol’s bunt single loaded the bases. Elijah Smith singled through the left side of the infield to make it 3-0. Cy Booth was hit with a pitch to force in the fourth run and, with one out, Colby Kropka was walked to force in another run. Shutler, batting for the second time in the inning, dropped a single just inside the right field line as the margin grew to 7-0. A. Ludolph collected his second RBI of the frame and K. Ludolph singled in the final two runs with a single to left. He was, however, thrown out trying for a double.

“We will hit all the way through our order,” Reasbeck said. “We’ve got a good core of guys that will put the ball in play.”

The Jets (3-2) scored once in the fourth and twice in the fifth to extend the game.

“We didn’t quit. We battled. We just didn’t get off the bus ready to play baseball,” Union Local head coach Jim Hess said. “I told them to forget about this game and get ready for tomorrow.”

Moore finished with two singles, as did Colby Carpenter. Logan Hess, White and Brody Gregor each had a run batted in.

Alex Reese had a sacrifice fly in the fourth and walked with the bases loaded in the sixth to make it 13-4. Two batters later, Lucey’s popup behind shortstop was caught, but Smith was able to race home to end things.

Krol laced three singles to lead the Purple Riders’ 10-hit attack. K. Ludolph and Smith each singled twice.

Mason Redinger went the distance on the mound for Martins Ferry. He struck out four, walked three and scattered six hits.

“Mason threw strikes today. If we throw strikes, we can beat anybody we play. We haven’t been throwing strikes in our first four games, so that was nice to see today. You don’t win baseball games, you lose them,” Reasbeck added.

Hess, the first of five UL hurlers, suffered the loss.

Union Local plays at Buckeye Local today. Martins Ferry heads to East Liverpool.