LAKEWOOD Power Alley continued their winning ways June 26, defeating cross-town rival the Marysville Outlaws, 6-1.
While the Outlaws tried several different pitchers to throw off Power Alley, the Bulldogs used the same lineup for seven innings to earn their sixth consecutive win.
Outfielder Austin Denton got the Outlaws lone run in the bottom of the first inning.
JJ Cartas started on the mound for the Outlaws, pitching two strikeouts in two innings. Into the second inning, however, Power Alley started to find an offensive rhythm. Extra hitter Brian McPartland and pitcher Justin Surber got hits to start off the inning, and Cartas walked three of the next four Bulldog batters to hand Power Alley a pair of runs.
Third baseman Steven Shane had an RBI single in the inning as well, to give his team a 3-1 edge.
Late in the second inning, Outlaws ace Michael Austin took over pitching duties. Austin and his defense held the Bulldogs scoreless for the rest of the second and through the next two innings before giving up a double to second baseman Brian Funnell in the top of the fifth.
Brian Clayton relieved Austin, and Funnell converted two batters later to make it a 4-1 game. Chad Murdock and Corey Moore contributed the last two runs for Power Alley in the top of the seventh.
Although the Outlaws were unable to put together more runs, their defense had a lot of success stopping the lead runner, stopping seven Power Alley runners in the outfield in the last four innings and minimizing the damage of the Bulldogs 16 game hits.
After the game, Outlaws coach Gig Larson explained that Power Alley pitcher Surber continued to throw his batters off throughout the game.
I think that their pitcher just fooled us the whole way with his curveball, Larson said. Theres no getting around it he just baffled us the whole way.
Larson added that he opted to use several pitchers against Power Alley to try to keep them off balance.
Power Alley had no such luxury. After losing several players midway through their schedule, the Bulldogs have put together their six-game winning streak with a roster of just 11 men.
Bulldog coach Mark Ward described the rivalry between the two Marysville teams as a friendly one.
It might be a friendly rivalry, I guess. They kind of kicked our rear ends in Koufax last year, Ward said. Brian Funnell is on our team now, he played for the Outlaws last year. Theres kids on my team that go to school with the Outlaws. I think it would be a friendly rivalry.
Larson said hed like to change one thing about the game.
Id like to play it over again, he said.

At Lakewood H.S.

Power Alley 0 3 0 0 1 0 2 6
Marysville 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1