RUSSELLVILLE - Landon Mouse pitched four innings, giving up one run on three hits and he homered to left field to help lead the Pintos against the Indians 10-4 on Monday.
"I thought Landon did a fantastic job," California coach Jason Gatlin said. "It's early in the season so I've kind of got my guys on a pitch count. 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."
Mouse had a rocky start in the first inning, giving up two singles to the first two batters. An error and a fielder's choice later in the inning scored Russellville's Ryland Johnson for the only lead the Indians (0-3) would see.
"My first time out this season, I guess that's kind of expected," Mouse said. "They kind of jumped on me early but I know I have a good defense behind me so I got to just keep throwing strikes and I got through it."
Mouse's line drive in the sixth inning that easily cleared the left-field fence was the highlight of the night. That run started a five-run inning that put the game away.
"I knew he was going to try and get ahead early, so I was expecting a fastball first pitch," Mouse said. "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."
After the home run, Jaden Barr doubled off the fence in center. Alex Dalbey then walked and Kory Stephens doubled to center to score Barr and Dalby. Sam Kirby followed with a single and Kyle Lee hit a shot to the right fielder that scored Stephens. Jacob Wolken's single scored Kirby to finish off the scoring for California.
Before the sixth, the Pintos (1-1) manufactured their first five runs off aggressive base running that forced Russellville into committing errors. Grant Hofsteter scored off an error and Barr scored Lee with an infield single in the second inning. Lee touched home again in the fourth, off another Indians error and the Pintos pulled off a double steal to perfection, scoring Hunter Heimericks in the fifth.
"I'm aggressive right off the bat," Gatlin said. "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."
Heimericks also pitched 22/3 innings, getting pulled in the seventh due to his pitch count.
"Hunter came in and did a phenomenal job," Gatlin said. "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."
Stephens came off the bench in the fifth inning for California to go 2-for-2 at the plate with three RBI. Barr was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Zach Voss went 2-for-4 for the Indians.
The Pintos and Indians return to the diamond Thursday, with California hosting South Callaway and Russellville takes on Jamestown at home.
California's junior varsity beat Russellville 6-1.