Genoa Central Beats PG 7-5

In a battle of two of the area's finest baseball programs, Genoa Central topped Pleasant Grove 7-5 Tuesday at Hawk Field. Genoa Central struck first on a two run single in the first inning off the bat of center fielder Cole Beckham. Genoa's Garrett Huff added another run in the third inning. Pleasant Grove's Hudson Hopkins scored on an error in the bottom of the second inning to make the score 3-1.

A dropped third-strike and two Hawk errors led to another Genoa Central run in the third inning but Pleasant Grove bounced back with two runs in their half of the third on Hopkins' two run single. Dylan Silvey and Brooks Langdon scored on the play.

Genoa Central scored in each of the next two innings to go up 6-3. Pleasant Grove scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on a double by first baseman Brayden Nicholson.

With the score 6-5 going into the final inning, the Dragons added an insurance run on a single by starting pitcher Dillon Drabble.

Drabble had seven strikeouts in six innings. Justin Swecker pitched the final inning for the Dragons. Silvey, who started on the mound for the Hawks, pitched four and one third innings and had seven strikeouts. Gunner Gilbert finished the game on the mound, striking out four and giving up two runs.

Pleasant Grove will open district play Friday when they travel across town to face Liberty Eylau. Genoa Central will travel to Arkadelphia Friday for a non conference match up.