The Atlantic baseball team defeated Red Oak 6-4 Thursday night powered by a three-run first inning and behind six innings and change on the mound from Junior Jack Muller. Assistant Head Coach Gaylord Schelling gave all the credit to the boys and their effort.

The scoring began early for the Trojans with four consecutive batters getting on base highlighted by a Zayden Parker RBI double scoring Gavin McLaren. Muller had a three-run lead in his back pocket before throwing his first pitch of the night.

Mullen says first inning struggles have been a common theme but to attack early was huge.

Later in the third, Junior Kale Jensen smoked a ball to left that smacked off the scoreboard for a solo home run to give Atlantic a 4-0 lead. Gavin McLaren followed that up with a line drive base hit and eventually driven in on Keston Schmitt’s double. It was 5-0 Trojans heading into the bottom of the third.

The shutout didn’t last long for Atlantic as three singles in the bottom of the third gave Red Oak their first run of the evening as Adam Baier crossed home plate on a Carson Roeder base hit up the middle.

Atlantic responded in the fourth. Muller drew a one-out walk and driven in by Hudson McLaren with a rope down the right field line. Red Oak threw another punch in the bottom half of the inning to get the game back to a four-run Trojan lead.

In the fifth, Atlantic cashed in for another run to go back up five. Gavin McLaren hit a dribbler in the infield and a throwing error led him to get all the way to third. He was later driven home by a Grant Petty RBI single.

Red Oak down four in the bottom of the six became very active on the basepaths and began toying with the Atlantic defense on a pair of first and third situations for the Tigers. Red Oak’s scheme was to draw attention to the runner on first while the runner from third came home to score. On the two discombobulating plays the Tigers cut the lead to 7-4.

Red Oak forced Atlantic to make a pitching change with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning and a pair of runners on the base paths. Junior Keston Schmitt entered the ballgame and gave up an RBI single to right field to cut the lead to two. After that, Schmitt shut the door on the Tigers and secured the 7-5 victory. Mullen had high praise for his relief pitcher.

Schelling said the team’s hitting has vastly improved and the way they are playing the game and excited for the journey ahead.

The Trojans are back in action at Greene County on Monday.