The Rolla High School baseball team claimed the Fulton Tournament title Tuesday night, besting host Fulton 10-2 in the championship game behind a great night from staff ace Dalton Friend.

Friend had absolutely filthy stuff, striking out 16 batters in six innings of work. He allowed two runs, just one earned, and improved to 5-1 on the season.

Daniel Perdue worked a scoreless seventh to finish off the Hornets. All three of the outs he recorded came by strikeout, making it 19 total for Bulldog pitchers in the game.

“The big story of the night was Dalton. He had great stuff tonight. He located his fastball and his breaking ball extremely well. It’s as dominant as I’ve seen him in the two years he has been here. He looked in command all night,” RHS head coach Jason Swearingen said. “Daniel relieved and was real solid, striking out three and walking one.”

Tyler Sinnott and Chris Bowe led the way offensively for RHS,  both going 3-for-4 at the plate. Sinnott had a home run, a double, and three runs. Bowe had a double and 4 RBIs.

Rolla dominated the game from the start, scoring four runs in the top of the first. Friend walked and Sinnott singled to start the rally. William Morrison followed with an RBI single. After Ross Parker was hit by a pitch, Bowe doubled to drive in two. Parker would later score on a wild pitch.

Fulton scored once in the bottom of the first, but Rolla made it 6-1 with two more runs in the second. Sinnott doubled with two outs to get things going. Morrison and Bowe followed with RBI singles.

In the third, Jeff Brown reached base on a fielder’s choice. Cameron Fore then reached on a bunt single. The throw from Fulton’s third baseman on the play sailed into right field, and Brown came all the way around to score while Fore advanced to third. Perdue’s sacrifice fly plated Fore to put Rolla up 8-1.

After the Hornets notched a run in the bottom of the third, Rolla capped all scoring with two runs in the sixth. Sinnott hit a solo home run for the first run. And, Bowe doubled in Parker, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, for the second.

“To win the Fulton Tournament is a big accomplishment,” Swearingen said. “It was nice to be playing when something was on the line. Hopefully, this will prepare us for the district tournament.”

Rolla, now 18-3, hosts Jefferson City for Senior Night on Thursday.
Play at FCNB Field is scheduled to get underway at 5 p.m.

The district tournament is slated to start on Monday, May 12.