Facing a pair of Cole County opponents late last week, Bryce Gehlert’s Belle Tigers hit the road into Jefferson City last Thursday to face the host Jefferson City High School Jays before hosting Eugene’s Eagles Friday night at Tiger Field.

Emerging with a 12-8 slug fest win thanks to a three-run top of the seventh inning in Jefferson City, Belle followed that up Friday night with a 7-4 win over Eugene while surviving a late-inning rally by the visiting Eagles.

Helping his own cause, Tiger starting pitcher Garrett Gehlert was hit by a pitch before Hank Stratman singled to set up two runners on for cleanup hitter Gage Terrill.

Lining a two-RBI single to left field, Terrill drove in Gehlert and Stratman giving the Tigers an early 2-0 lead.

Terrill would score later in the frame on a balk pushing the Tiger advantage to 3-0 entering the bottom half of the first inning.

Jefferson City answered Belle’s three runs with three of their own on three hits, two errors and a hit batter tying the game at 3-3 after one inning.

Belle reclaimed a 4-3 lead in the top of the second inning when Easton Schroeder walked and scored on a Stratman RBI double with two outs.

After Gehlert held the Jays scoreless in the bottom of the second inning, his Tiger offense looked to give him more run support in the top of the third inning.

Chase Trainor started a two-out rally reaching on an error before Lathan Miller kept the line moving with a walk.

Trainor and Miller both scored when Luke Rohrer reached on another Jay error.

Capping Belle’s latest three-run frame, Rohrer scored when Stratman walked with the bases loaded following free passes to Schroeder and Gehlert.

Now leading 7-3 after three innings, Belle added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning following a scoreless fourth frame.

Gehlert and Stratman delivered back-to-back singles in the top of the fifth before they both scored on an errant pick off attempt by Jefferson City giving the Tigers a 9-3 lead.

The Jays got those two runs back in the bottom of the fifth on a two hits and two errors trimming the Belle lead to 9-5 after five innings.

Held scoreless in the top of the sixth inning, Belle saw Jefferson City turn five hits and a walk into three run trimming their lead down to one at 9-8 after six innings.

With Cameron Rehmert now in the game in relief of Gehlert, the Tigers looked to give him a little more breathing room in the top of the seventh inning.

Consecutive singles by Schroeder and Gehlert along Stratman being hit by a pitch loaded the bases for Ryder Butler.

“Easton Schroeder started to make things happen,” coach Gehlert said. “He made a huge catch in the outfield against the Jays saving three runs in addition to taking good at bats.

Able to lift a fly ball into center field, Butler recorded a RBI sacrifice fly scoring Schroeder pushing Belle’s run total into double digits.

Terrill then singled to reload the bases for Rehmert who helped his cause with a fielder’s choice RBI scoring Gehlert pushing Belle’s lead to 11-8.

Trainor capped Belle’s three-run top of the seventh inning with a RBI single to center field scoring Stratman giving the Tigers their final margin of victory.

Retiring the side in the bottom of the seventh inning, Rehmert allowed one run on three hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts during two innings of relief pitching.

Gehlert earned the win throwing the first five innings allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits and no walks to go with six strikeouts.

“Garrett Gehlert pitched well against the Jays,” Tiger head coach Bryce Gehlert said. “

Reaching base in all five plate appearances, Stratman led the Tiger offense with three hits, three runs scored and three RBIs.

Gehlert, Terrill and Trainor each also had a pair of hits for Belle against the Jays.

Tigers vs. Eugene

Holding off Jefferson City’s Jays the night before, Belle Tiger baseball went for their second over a Cole County school in as many days hosting Eugene’s Eagles Friday night at Tiger Field.

Plating seven runs over the first two innings, Belle held Eugene scoreless until they scored twice in the top of the fifth inning.

In spite of four unanswered runs from the Eagles over the last three innings, Belle held on for their second win in two days by a 7-4 final score over Eugene.

Stratman started the game for the Tigers against Eugene pitching around a pair of walks and a hit batter in the top of the first inning allowing no runs.

Come the bottom half of the first, Belle’s offense turned four hits and a walk into four early runs.

Stratman helped his own cause with a one-out single before a Butler double and a walk to Terrill loaded the bases for Rehmert.

Finding left-field grass, Rehmert cleared the bases driving in three runs giving Belle a 3-0 lead on one swing of the bat.

Rehmert capped Belle’s four-run bottom of the first inning by scoring on a RBI double off the bat of Miller with two outs.

Now with a 4-0 lead after one inning, Stratman retired the Eagles in order during the top of the second inning giving his Tiger offense a chance to add to their lead in the bottom half of the second.

Schroeder led off the bottom of the second with a single before Gehlert added another single to set up Stratman with two runners on and no outs.

Lacing a two-RBI double into left field, Stratman drove in Gehlert and Schroeder giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead.

Stratman later scored on a RBI ground out off the bat of Butler pushing the Tiger advantage to 7-0 after two innings.

Belle kept Eugene off the scoreboard until the top of the fifth inning when the Eagles plated two runs on two hits and a walk cutting Belle’s lead to 7-2 after five innings.

Limiting Eugene to single tally marks in the sixth and seventh innings, Belle ran their overall record to 11-7 following their win over the Eagles.

Earning the win, Stratman threw five and two-thirds innings allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks to go with eight strikeouts.

Trainor pitched the final inning and a third in relief allowing a run on two hits and no walks to go with a strikeout.

“Our base running and our offense are starting to come to life,” Gehlert said. “Our pitching has been great all year.”

Facing Steelville’s Cardinals Monday night with the Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) baseball title on the line, Belle’s Tigers will also see action tomorrow (Thursday) hosting St. Elizabeth’s Hornets on senior night at Tiger Field before traveling back to Jefferson City Friday to take on the Capital City Cavaliers.