LA CROSSE — The Central High School baseball team used a five-run top of the sixth inning to lock up a 7-5 victory over Logan and keep sole possession of the MVC lead on Monday.
The visiting RiverHawks (6-0, 3-0) had surrendered five runs in the bottoms of the third, fourth and fifth innings to lose an early 2-0 lead.
Central had three singles, drew one walk and had to betters hit by pitches in the deciding inning.
Aiden Schulze’s infield single plated Jordan Candahl with the first run of the inning before Lim Branson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home Beckett Allert.
Catcher Charlie Buxton was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs to score Landon Smith with the tying run, and Schulze and Branson scored on an error to break the tie.
Schulze was 2 for 3 and Allert 2 for 4 for Central, which leads second-place Aquinas (3-1) by a half-game in the conference standings.
The Rangers (2-4, 1-4) finished with five hits, and shortstop Hank Bosch doubled and drove in three runs.
Sophomore Tommy Check recorded his first hit of the season — he was 1 for 4 — while playing in his second game for Logan. Check returned to the lineup in Thursday’s loss to Onalaska after an ankle injury cut his basketball season short.
Onalaska 6, Holmen 5
ONALASKA — The Hilltoppers (3-3, 2-3 MVC) scored all of their runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings and held of a seventh-inning rally by the visiting Vikings (4-3, 3-2).
Onalaska overcame six errors and scored three runs without a hit in the bottom of the fourth. Holmen helped that inning along with two walks, two hit batters and one error.
Holmen scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Nolan Lomas in the seventh but made the final out with the tying run at second base.
Center fielder Tyler Kowal doubled for Onalaska, which had just four hits — three of them singles.
The Vikings had just five hits, and Noah Carlson and Thomas doubled. Carson Campbell struck out 10 over 4 2/3 innings for the Hilltoppers.
Melrose-Mindoro 12, Alma/Pepin 0 (5)
MELROSE — The Mustangs (5-0) scored four runs in the second inning and six more in the third to keep their season-opening win streak alive.
Shortstop/center fielder Colton Koss was 2 for 4, scored three runs and drove in two for Melrose-Mindoro. Koss also tripled for one of his team’s 11 hits.
First baseman Brady Blaken doubled and drove in two runs, and Jacob Thesing, Brett Peterson and Wade Adams combined on the pitching shutout with a combined four strikeouts, no walks and five hits allowed.
Luther 6, Black River Falls 2
ONALASKA — The Knights (2-4, 2-1 Coulee) had a five-run bottom of the third inning to separate from the Tigers.
Center fielder Ashton Kendall hit a three-run single to left field during the third, and shortstop Calvin Rick was 2 for 3 with a double and scored two runs for Luther.
Finn Rick and Jonny Holub also doubled for the Knights.
DeForest 3, Aquinas 2
DEFOREST — The Norskies scored in the bottom of the sixth inning to break their 2-2 tie with the Blugolds (4-2).
Waylon Hargrove, Aedan David, Ryan Johnson and Cullen Swanson all singled for Aquinas, and Landon Teachout drove in a run.
Hargrove struck out six, walked none and allowed four hits in a complete game.
Winona Cotter 9, Caledonia 4 (8)
CALEDONIA — The Warriors (5-1) allowed five runs with the help of just one hit in the top of the eighth inning.
Caledonia scored three runs in the bottom of the first but didn’t score again after getting another run in the third.
Shortstop/pitcher Tyson Ginther was 2 for 3 and catcher Jacob Klug 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Westby 12, West Salem 2 (6)
WESTBY — The Panthers (3-3, 3-2 Coulee) had a 4-2 game get away from them when the Norsemen scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 10-2 lead.
West Salem was held to three hits — all singles — and scored once each in the first and third innings. Luke Grube and Will Schmidt drove in the runs.
