RUSSELLVILLE -From the way the first inning played out, Landon Mouse was in for a long night on the bump for California. The first three Indians reached base on two singles and an error, then Seth Kuda - Russellville's starting pitcher - grounded into a fielder's choice to second base to score Ryland Johnson.
That would be the only lead for Russellville (0-3) and it didn't last long, as California (1-1) hammered the Indians 10-4 on Monday night at Russellville High School.
Mouse went on to pitch four innings, giving up three hits and striking out five. That first inning, unearned run was the only blemish. Mouse also homered to left field, a ball that easily cleared the fence.
"I think we settled down, I think we were a little jumpy in the beginning," California Coach Jason Gatlin said. "This is only our second game of the season and I thought they settled down, settled in, and started to play some baseball and focus."
The Pintos have had some bad luck with the weather this season. Since their season-opening loss last week, they've had three games cancelled due to weather.
"We haven't had any time to play," said Gatlin. "We haven't touched a baseball field since last Monday. I was a little concerned with how we'd be defensively. ... We actually showed up (Monday) at 1:30 to try and get loose and get together and have some fun. Get their bodies loose, throw and hit because it's been really rough with the weather."
Besides the trouble in the first inning, and closing the game out in the seventh, the Pintos looked to be in midseason form. As a team, they collected 14 hits and 10 runs. Kory Stephens came off the bench in the fifth to lead the team with three RBI off 2-of-2 hitting. Stephens singled in a run in the fifth and doubled in two runs in the sixth.
California broke the game open in the sixth, scoring five runs. After the Mouse home run, Jaden Barr doubled and Alex Dalbey walked. After Dalbey stole second base, Stephens doubled to center to score them both. Later in the inning Sam Kirby singled, Kyle Lee hit an infield single to score Stephens and Jacob Wolken singled to right field to score Kirby.
"I knew he was going to try and get ahead early, so I was expecting a fastball first pitch," Mouse said when asked about his home run. "If it wasn't that, I was going to lay off, but he gave it to me. I just made a good cut on it and just had the distance."
But before all of that, the Pintos used aggressive base running to force Russellville into committing errors to manufacture their first five runs.
Hunter Heimericks scored off an error by the right fielder and Barr hit an infield single to score Kyle Hofstetter for their first two runs in the second inning. Lee scored off a throwing error by the catcher in the fourth and they plated another runner when they executed a double steal to perfection in the fifth.
"I'm aggressive right off the bat," said Gatlin. "I like to steal bases and I've got a young, fast team with strong bats in the middle of the lineup. My kids are smart on the bases but we work on that a lot. I'm proud of them."
Mouse's night was complete after the fourth inning, due to his pitch count, as Heimericks pitched the next 2 2/3 innings giving up one hit and two earned runs.
"It's early in the season so I've kind of got my guys on a pitch count," said Gatlin. "I let Landon get to around 60 pitches and that was it. He could have gone further but I don't want to get him hurt this early in the season.
"Then Hunter came in and did a phenomenal job. I mean he was throwing strikes and he was very efficient in three innings. I had him on a pitch count also. I didn't want him to get too high. It was just one game and we kind of had this game in hand."
With the 10-1 lead and two outs with runners on first and second, Gatlin pulled Heimericks for Eli Freeman. After a walk to load the bases, Freeman allowed three more walks that cut the lead to its final score of 10-4. Then, Freeman struck out Tyler Voss to end the threat and the game.
Weather permitting the Pintos will be back in action Thursday, April 2, at 5 p.m. hosting South Callaway followed by a trip to Tipton to take on the Cardinals Monday, April 6, at 5 p.m. The Pintos will be back home to take on Hallsville Tuesday, April 7, at 5 p.m.