Beginning a stretch of three games in a four-day span last week, Bryce Gehlert’s Belle Tiger baseball team took on Cuba’s Wildcats in Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) road action Monday night.

Falling 3-2 to the Wildcats during pool play of the Linn Baseball Tournament earlier this month, revenge was heavy on the minds of the Tigers in addition to staying undefeated in GVC play.

Trailing 5-4 after five innings, Belle tied the game in the top of the seventh inning eventually forcing bonus baseball from Crawford County.

Still knotted at 5-5 after 10 innings, Belle senior Hank Stratman walked and scored the eventual game-winning run on a wild pitch giving the visiting Tigers a 6-5 victory in 11 innings over Cuba moving them one win closer to a second straight GVC title.

Down 1-0 after the first inning, Belle tied the game in the top of the second inning with a single tally mark on three hits.

Cameron Rehmert singled and scored on an Easton Schroeder RBI double tying the game at 1-1.

Remaining tied at 1-1 through four innings, Belle took their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth inning.

Chase Trainor led the frame off with a single before being retired on a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning.

Gage Terrill later singled and scored giving the Tigers their first advantage of the game at 2-1.

Stratman would later score on a Lathan Miller RBI single after he reached on a fielder’s choice.

Reaching base via a hit-by-pitch, Ryder Butler scored Belle’s final run of the frame when Rehmert reached on an error to give Belle a 4-1 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning.

Cuba returned the favor scoring four runs on four hits, an error and a hit batter in the bottom of the fifth inning leaving the visiting Tigers trailing 5-4.

Remaining 5-4 until a do-or-die top of the seventh inning for Belle, the Tigers squared the game at 5-5 when Stratman singled with one out before scoring on an error to re-tie the game.

Butler earned the win in relief of Stratman pitching five innings allowing no runs on three hits and two walks to go with nine strikeouts.

Stratman threw the first six innings allowing five runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk to go with 11 strikeouts.

Trainor led the Tigers with three hits against Cuba while Stratman and Butler each added a pair of hits.

Facing St. James’ Tigers along Interstate 44 last Tuesday night, Belle score in the first five innings of their 13-3 road victory in Phelps County.

Rehmert got the win pitching five innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks to go with six strikeouts.

Miller pitched the final two innings in relief allowing no runs on one hit and a walk to go with three strikeouts.

Out hitting St. James 14-6, Belle got two hits apiece from Garrett Gehlert, Stratman, Terrill, Trainor, Rehmert and Schroeder.

Butler and Miller also each had a hit for Belle.

Stratman also drove in three runs for Belle at St. James.

In what turned out to be their final game of the week last Thursday, Belle hosted Crocker’s Lions at Tiger Field.

Falling behind 4-0 after the top of the first inning, Belle battled back to tie the game at 4-4 after four innings before Crocker scored in the top of the seventh inning to put Belle on the short end of a 5-4 final score.

Terrill and Stratman both had two hits for Belle against the Lions.

Gehlert took the tough-luck loss allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks to go along with seven strikeouts.

Scheduled road games last Friday at Hermann and this past Monday at Owensville were canceled due to either wet field conditions or forecasted severe weather.

Both of those games will not be made up.

Belle’s next scheduled baseball game is tomorrow (Thursday) in Jefferson City against the Jefferson City Jays.