Mountain Valley erupts with 11 hits

MONMOUTH – Whether the leaves are brown and falling or green and blossoming, it’s never a good idea to get involved in a football score with Mountain Valley.

The Falcons batted around in a trio of six-run innings to pull away from what for the first four innings was a pesky Monmouth squad in a 21-7 drubbing Wednesday shortened to six innings by the mercy rule.

Matt Laubauskas went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and drove in six runs for the Falcons. Justin Staires clubbed two hits, drove in a pair of runs and stole five bases, including home. Alex Gagnon added a pair of hits and drove in two runs and Ryan Laubauskas drove in a pair.

“This is an easy team to coach. You’ve got those two big bats in the middle (Laubauskas and Staires) and you’ve got some nice complimentary players with them,” Mountain Valley coach Steve LaPointe said. “Garrett McPherson (three runs scored) is having a great season. Gagnon’s been swinging the bat really well so far. Ryan Laubauskas has been swinging the bat well.”

The Falcons smacked 11 hits and were aided by seven Monmouth errors, six of which came in the final two innings. McPherson picked up the win in 1 1/3 innings of relief of starter Brady Fergola as Mountain Valley improved to 5-0.

“I think we’ve outscored our opponents 67-12,” LaPointe said. “We just try to keep things loose on the bench. This is a veteran group of kids.”

Eric Smith led Monmouth (1-4) with three hits and two runs scored. Matt Lindholm had a pair of singles and drove in three runs.

The Mustangs actually led, 2-1, after one on an RBI ground out by Lindholm and single by Parker Ferland.

Matt Laubauskas’ bases-clearing double highlighted a six-run second for the Falcons, but Monmouth kept battling, getting three runs in the third on RBI singles from Lindholm and Garrison Beck to make it 7-5.

“One thing about Monmouth is, even when they’re down, they can always hit,” LaPointe said.

McPherson stopped the rally with a strikeout of Burnham, then the Falcons broke it open with two in the fourth on Ryan Laubauskas’ two-run single and six more in the fifth. That frame featured a sacrifice fly by Gagnon, RBI singles from Matt Laubauskas and Staires and Staires steal of home.

They poured on six more runs in the sixth thanks to more carelessness in the field plus a wild pitch, an RBI double by Matt Laubauskas an an RBI single by Staires.