TURNER – It was Andy Valley’s turn in the balanced Zone III in American Legion baseball.

Brad Bryant returned from a long absence and tossed a five-hit complete game with nine strikeouts to lead Andy Valley to a 9-2 victory over Cole Farms.

Scott Witherall provided the difference with a three-run home run in the first inning. Witherall had two hits and scored twice, while designated hitter Tony Pirrucello was effective with three singles, two runs scored and one RBI.

“We needed this,” Andy Valley coach Jeff Gilbert said. “We’ve been struggling to score runs. A key was scoring five runs right off the bat, that’s always nice. That was a big home run for Scott because he had been in a slump.”

Andy Valley (5-8) started quickly as the first five batters all scored. Jacob McAllister drew a lead off walk, Derek Gilbert singled and Mike Chamard (two runs) lined a shot off the third baseman’s glove. Pirrucello then singled a run home and set up Witherall’s heroics. Cole Farms starter Jared Wales grooved a pitch and Witherall deposited the ball over the fence in right-center field.

Nate Bartlett scored an unearned run for Cole Farms in the second, but Bryant then struck out the side and followed that with three perfect innings.

“I have to credit Brad,” Gilbert said. “He hadn’t pitched in more than three weeks because he had been at basketball camp. It was quite a performance and we were getting weak on pitching. We were hoping to get four innings out of him.”

Bryant, a Livermore Falls product, finished with a five hitter and had nine strikeouts and no walks.

Cole Farms threatened to get things going in the sixth. Lou Bernadini singled and Sam Forbes doubled. Bartlett followed with a bloop single to score Bernadini, but McAllister quickly fired a strike from right field. Bryant ran down Forbes, who had ran past third base, and tagged him out.

Andy Valley scored three runs in the fifth. Brandon Elie of Auburn had an RBI single and Chamard scored on another Elie hit in the sixth.

“We hadn’t been scoring runs,” Gilbert said. “(Tyler) Turgeon of Gayton had shut us down the night before. But, with a couple more wins, we can get our record back to .500.”