Fast-starting Tigers

The Smith-Cotton Tigers scored all the runs they needed in the first inning Friday.

The Tigers defeated Lafayette 4-3 in their second game of the Skip Schulz/Smith-Cotton Baseball Tournament at Liberty Park Stadium.

Alex Lang’s leadoff walk was followed by Adam Archibeque’s double. Drew Hutinger singled through the left side, sending Lang home for the first run.

Archibeque finished 2-for-4 with two doubles, and Hutinger went 2-for-3.

Another walk to Kendal Brown loaded the bases. Jared Hagedorn and Dylan Mays earned RBIs by drawing bases loaded walks for a 3-0 lead.

Bryce Johnson’s grounder to second base resulted in a double play, but scored Brown from third for a 4-0 advantage.

Smith-Cotton relied on strong defense and reliable pitching to keep Lafayette from catching up.

Mays started for the Tigers. Working quickly, he struck out five as he cruised through the first three innings.

Mays ran into trouble in the fourth, and Lafayette scored its first run after a bases-loaded walk.

Brandon Meyers replaced Mays and earned the final out of the fourth inning.

Meyers pitched the rest of the game, earning his second save of the season.

“I thought Dylan (for the) first game out did good, and Brandon Meyers has been really kind of lights out as our guy we bring in in relief,” S-C coach Ross Dey said.

Defense dominated the fifth and six innings, and featured textbook double plays from both teams.

The Tiger’s 6-4-3 double play to end the fifth stalled Lafayette until the seventh inning.

In the seventh, Lafayette’s Nate Goro tripled to right center. He scored on Erick Fink’s sacrifice fly to center. Luke Voit’s single followed by an error landed the tying run on second with two outs.

Meyers struck out the next batter on three straight pitches to seal the win for the Tigers.

The Tigers will host Winnetonka at 3:45 p.m. today and Holden at 6 p.m. today on the final day of the tournament.