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The Helena Huskies took down rival Pelham on March 24 thanks to a combined eight runs between the fourth and fifth innings. (For the Reporter/Jeremy Raines)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor 

HELENA – It took a while for the Helena offense to heat up, but once it did, the Huskies were off and rolling on Friday, March 24, leading to a three-run rivalry win over the Pelham Panthers.

Helena fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first and trailed by that same score going into the home half of the fourth inning, but that’s when the Huskies started to find a rhythm at the plate.

They went on to score six in the bottom of the fourth and two in the fifth for eight runs in a two-inning stretch before hanging on from there to pick up an 8-5 victory.

Pelham used a sac fly and back-to-back singles, including an RBI single from Blake Woodall, to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

From there, the game was quiet through the first three innings of play.

In the fourth, however, the Huskies were able to string together a strong stretch with one out.

After a lead-off out started the bottom of the fourth, three consecutive singles loaded the bases, while a fourth in a row brought home Helena’s first run of the game before a second out was recorded.

The Huskies had some two-out magic from there. A bases-loaded walk, a double and a single followed to bring home five more runs before the inning came to an end, giving Helena a 6-2 lead.

An inning later, the Huskies picked up where they left off with a 12-pitch lead-off at bat from Colton Willmon setting the tone for the inning.

That was followed by a single and a sac fly to bring Willmon home for a 7-2 lead. An error on a grounder from Ryan Rosener then made it 8-2 in favor of the Huskies before the final two outs were recorded.

Pelham did try and chip away at the deficit, scoring one in the top of the sixth with an RBI double, and then two in the top of the seventh, but that was as close as the Panthers could get.

Helena was led by John Martin Williams with a 2-for-2 game featuring an RBI, while Reece Mims also finished with two hits. Rosener added two RBIs on one hit, while Cam Nunley led the team with three RBIs on one hit. Jarret Scott and Braydon Kendrick both added a hit and RBI apiece, while Willmon finished with one hit, a walk and two runs scored.

Hayden Berry got the start on the mound and gave up three runs on four hits, while he struck out six batters. Brayden Dockery finished off the final inning to get the save.

Pelham was led by two hits and an RBI from Clayton Mains, while Woodall finished with one hit and one RBI.

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