LocalSportsJournal.com

LAKEVIEW — Mason County Central captured the baseball championship of the Jane Pierce Invitational in Lakeview Invitational on Saturday, defeating Pine River 7-5 and Fowler, 6-3.

Peyton Merz started on the hill against the Bucks and made it through the first three innings before giving way to Braylin Thurow in the fourth, Thurow got the victory in relief.

The Spartans trailed the Bucks 5-1 after three, but sent two runs across in the fourth, and four in the fifth before the game was called because of the 1 1/2-hour time limit.

Will Chye, Tyler Thurow and freshman Kaden Ruiz each contributed one hit on offense. Drake McKay drove home the winning run when the Bucks’ shortstop booted his ground ball.

In the championship game, the Spartans sent Ruiz out to the mound and he responded by allowing just one run on five hits, four walks and striking out three over six innings.

Braylin Thurow pitched the seventh and allowed one run on two hits.

Ruiz went 2-for-3 with a double and one run batted in. Chye (one RBI), Merz (two RBI), Colten Sanders, Braylin Thurow, McKay (one RBI) and Brayden Overmyer (one RBI) also had hits.

Mason County Central (11-6) hosts Hart in a West Michigan Rivers Division doubleheader Tuesday.