Dickie Cote’s home run backs up a strong pitching performance from Richie Ross.

RUMFORD – Ninth hitter Dickie Cote smashed a two-run home run in the fourth inning, for the eventual winning runs as Mountain Valley remained unbeaten with a 5-3 win over Jay.

Marcus Palmer earned the save in relief of winning pitcher Richie Ross, after he came in to silence a potential Tiger rally in the sixth. The right- hander retired all four batters he faced and was a big cog in the wheel for the Falcons, who benefited from some outstanding defensive plays.

“Defense and pitching are our strong points,” Mountain Valley coach Steve LaPointe said. “We haven’t been hitting the ball that well. We were hitting .207 entering the game and had some guys hitting below .100.”

Mountain Valley (4-0) broke open a 1-1 game with four runs in the fourth off Jay starter Jacob Turner. Korey Stairs had reached on an error and scored on a single by Aaron McPhee. Palmer doubled and McPhee twisted an ankle as he stopped to return to third base. Pinch-runner Jeremy Sterling raced home on a Turner sacrifice fly.

Jay (5-1) scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but it was too little to late. Shawn Jacques doubled home Ryan Bourassa and Jacob Farrington singled in A.J. Nelson.

“We had our opportunities,” Jay coach Chris Bessey said, “especially, in the fifth and sixth innings, when we left two men on base in both innings. (Batters) couldn’t get around on Richie Ross, but he’s one of the top pitchers in the Mountain Valley Conference.”

Ross (2-0) had cruised, not allowing a hit until Austin Ouellette singled leading off the fourth inning. The Falcon senior stranded a runner at third base, with a called third strike to end the second inning. The defense also shined with big plays by third baseman Josh Umbro and Stairs.

“Richie Ross is a big game pitcher,” LaPointe said. “Whenever I ask him, he wants the ball. He was good today, but he ran into trouble when he lost his focus with two outs. In fact, Jay scored all their runs with two outs. This is a big win or us against a quality team”

Palmer came in with Joel Ouellette and Farrington each on base and made a fundamentally sound play. Bourassa hit a ball that got past a diving Stairs at first base, but the second baseman ranged over and threw to Palmer who was running over to cover first.

Mountain Valley had scored an unearned run in the first when Ross doubled and scored when Stairs’ single was mishandled.