AREA PREPS: Buffs keep record perfect

MELROSE – Melrose improved to 6-0 for the season on Monday, scoring seven runs in the third inning and handing Grady a 13-1 setback in District 3-1A baseball.

Sophomore Briar Larson went 2-for-2 with a two-run, first-inning triple and a double for the Buffaloes (3-0 district), while junior Dathan Yeary added a double and a third-inning solo homer in going 2-for-3. Melrose ended the game in 4 ½ innings on the 10-run rule.

Junior Michael Cardonita allowed one hit over three innings for the Buffs, striking out five. Grady (6-4, 0-1), got a 2-for-3 outing from eighth-grader Andre Garcia while junior Xavier Romero finished 1-for-2 with a run-scoring single in the fourth.

Also on Monday:

Gateway Christian 13, Floyd 7 – In District 2-1A at Floyd, the Warriors broke the game open for good with a four-run fifth. Floyd (1-8, 1-3) erased an early 5-0 deficit to tie the score 6-6 after three innings and trailed just 8-7 going into the fifth.

Gateway Christian (4-7, 2-0 district) outhit the Broncos 11-9. Juniors Daegan East and Isaias Nieto both doubled and went 2-for-4 for Floyd, combining for five RBIs and three runs scored.

In area baseball from Friday:

Elida 16-16, Floyd 4-8 – In a District 2-1A twin bill at Floyd, the visiting Tigers (7-3, 2-1 district) scored early and often en route to a sweep.

Senior Levi Victor pitched 3 2/3 innings, striking out eight, and also contributed 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, three runs scored and three runs batted in, while eighth-grader Bradley Burns finished 2-for-3 and scored four times in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run lead rule. Seniors Dalyn Taylor and Jose Jimenez and eighth-grader Cody Cathey all chipped in a pair of hits, including a double by Jimenez.

In Game 2, the Broncos (1-7) were able to take the game the full seven innings. Elida opened a 16-6 lead with five runs in the top of the sixth, but Floyd stayed alive with a pair in the bottom half.

Victor went 3-for-4 with two doubles, five RBIs and two runs scored while Burns was 3-for-3, scoring four times and driving in one. Junior Seth Jimenez was 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBIs and eighth-grader Coda Cathey chipped in 2-for-4 and scored twice.

For the Broncos, Nieto was 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored; freshman Colton Cain finished 2-for-2 and scored once, and sophomore Joseph Contreras went 2-for-3 and drove in three.

In an area non-district game, host Grady (6-3) absorbed a 21-1 loss at the hands of Loving (4-5).