Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth freshman Zach Wysong sets to gun down a runner at first base for the Patriot baseball team. H-BC-E slipped to 3-6 overall by dropping three straight games since last Thursday.
By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth baseball team dropped its third consecutive game when it took on Murray County Central in Slayton Tuesday.
The Patriots struck for three runs in the top of the first inning, but the Rebels outscored H-BC-E 11-2 the rest of the way to post an 11-5 Red Rock Conference win.
H-BC-E will try to snap a season-long three-game losing skid when it plays in Edgerton today.
The Patriots host Edgerton and Adrian Monday and Tuesday respectively.
A promising start to Tuesday's game developed into a disappointing finish for H-BC-E.
Darin DeBoer singled, David Top was hit by a pitch and Brant Deutsch belted a three-run homer to give the Patriots a first-inning cushion.
MCC, however, scored two runs in the first inning and three in the second to move in front 5-2 before the Patriots scored twice in the fourth to make it a 5-4 difference.
Lyle DeBoer and Zach Wysong singled in the fourth to set the table for Top, who delivered a two-run single.
MCC answered the challenge by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the sixth to put the game away.
Top tossed the first five and one-third innings and took the loss for H-BC-E. He allowed 11 runs before giving way to Darin DeBoer, who recorded the final two outs of the game.
The Patriots now sport a 3-5 RRC record and a 3-6 overall mark.