Cougars win ugly, stay unbeaten

Lyle trailed 14-11 after six but rallied for three in the top of the seventh to force extra innings.

"We hit the ball well and that's what kept us in the game," Cougars Coach Scott Myers noted. "With so many errors, we were lucky to come back and win it."

The Cougars ripped Knights starter Steve Berg for 15 hits. Ryan Johnson had four of those hits to go with three steals.

Brandon Essex connected three times, drove in three runs and stole three bags. Paul Jackson had just one hit but knocked in four runs.

Randy McMurrin (3-0) got the win for Lyle. He allowed three hits and struck out seven, yet walked eight in eight innings. But he also stranded 13 runners on base.

The Cougars played much better ball on April 17, beating the Klickÿitat Vandals 10-0 and 14-1 in a GCB double-header at Lyle.

Myers improved to 5-0 in pitchÿing is second consecutive shutout. He checked Klickitat on eight hits

and two walks, and fanned nine in the opener.

Lyle finished with 12 hits and nine stolen bases. Jackson and Traÿvis Carlson each had two runs batted in and two stolen bases.

For Klickitat, Michael Payne batÿted 3 for 3, and Tyler Schultz and Andre DeWitz had two hits apiece.

In the closer, McMurrin picked up the victory, throwing four inÿnings of two-hit ball at the Vandals.

At the plate he went 3 for 3, falling a home run shy of the cycle. He added two RBIs and three steals. Mychal Hall collected two doubles in two trips.