Dropping a 10-4 non-conference road baseball game at Sullivan last Monday afternoon, Bryce Gehlert’s Belle Tiger baseball team looked to bounce back into the win column last Thursday on the road opening defense of last year’s Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) title in Iron County against Viburnum’s Blue Jays.

Pushing across 10 runs over the first two innings, Belle went on to post an 18-1 victory over the host Blue Jays.

Gage Terrill led off the game against Viburnum with a walk before scoring on a Garrett Gehlert RBI single breaking the scoreless tie in the top of the first inning.

After stealing second base, Hank Stratman kept the line moving with a walk before he and Gehlert moved up to second and third base respectively on defensive indifference.

Batting in the clean-up spot, Cameron Rehmert laced a two-RBI double into left field scoring both Gehlert and Stratman bumping the early Tiger lead to 3-0.

Rehmert then scored on a Ryder Butler RBI single moving the Belle advantage to 4-0.

Helping his own cause, Tiger starting pitcher Chase Trainor doubled in Butler before scoring Belle’s sixth and final run of the frame when he stole home.

Trainor pitched around a one-out error in the bottom of the first inning before striking out the side.

A two-out rally led to four more runs in the top of the second inning started by a Butler walk before he scored on a wild pitch.

Trainor also walked and scored before Lathan Miller reached on an error and scored along with Easton Schroeder on a two-RBI double off the bat of Terrill bumping the Tiger lead into double digits at 10-0 entering the bottom of the second inning.

Striking out the side in order during the bottom half of the second inning, Trainor earned his first win of the season pitching three innings of shutout baseball allowing no hits and a walk to go with seven strikeouts.

Schroeder pitched an inning of relief allowing an unearned run on one hit, one walk and three strikeouts.

Gage Newton led off the top of the third inning with a single before scoring on a RBI ground out off the bat of Rehmert giving Belle an 11-0 lead.

After Trainor kept the Blue Jays off the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning, Belle put the finishing touches on a road GVC victory with seven runs in the top of the fourth inning on four hits, four walks and an error.

Crossing the plate for the red and black in the top of the fourth inning were Chase Neilsen, Logan Phillips, Terrill, Newton, Rehmert, Butler and Schroeder.

Saturday baseball over the weekend saw the Belle venture into Cole County for a doubleheader against the host Russellville Indians and Skyline Tigers.

Opening the day with a 3-0 shutout of Skyline, Gehlert led Belle’s Tigers in the pitching mound throwing a complete game three-hit shutout with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

“Good defense and pitching helped us defeat Skyline behind Garrett Gehlert going the distance allowing three hits and no walks on 82 pitches,” Gehlert said.

Belle got their first run against Skyline in the bottom of the third inning when Gehlert doubled and scored on a Luke Rohrer RBI single.

Scoring their two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning for Belle were Miller who reached on an error before scoring on a Trainor RBI single.

Trainor then crossed the plate on a Cooper Durbin RBI single.

Capping the Saturday twin bill against Russellville, the Tigers allowed three runs in the bottom of the second inning by the Indians before falling 3-0 ending their four-game week with two wins and two losses.

Butler took the tough-luck loss pitching six innings allowing three runs on four hits to go with a walk and a strikeout over 65 pitches.

Opening last week with a Monday showdown in Franklin County against Sullivan’s Eagles, Belle was able to take advantage of a pair of Sullivan errors turning them into three runs in the top of the second inning.

Rehmert started the frame by reaching on an error while Rohrer then reached on a fielder’s choice allowing Rehmert to take third base.

Butler then drove in Rehmert on a RBI ground out getting the Tigers on the board at Sullivan Bank Ball Park.

Rohrer came around to score on a one-out RBI single from Trainor before Durbin drove him in with a RBI single of his own to cap Belle’s three-run top of the second inning.

Sullivan got a run back in the bottom of the second inning on two hits before turning four hits and an error into three runs in the bottom of the third inning leaving Belle trailing 4-3 after three frames.

Belle answered in the top of the fourth inning tying the game at 4-4 on a Durbin RBI single scoring Durbin who sparked a two-out rally with a double.

Throughout the remainder of the game, Sullivan turned eight hits, a walk and an error into six runs leaving the visiting Tigers on the short end of a 10-4 final score.

Stratman took the loss against Sullivan allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks to go with eight strikeouts.

Belle closed the March portion of their season last night (Tuesday) in their home opener at Tiger Field against Iberia and will host Dixon’s Bulldogs in a Highway 28 diamond showdown at Tiger Field with a 5 p.m., first pitch weather and field conditions permitting as rain is in the forecast for the majority of the upcoming week.