MATEWAN — The Matewan Tigers baseball team ended its seven-game losing skid last night by beating the visiting Gilbert Lions, 11-8.

The Tigers (2-8) opened up the game with a 3-0 lead in the first inning and then built a 6-0 lead with three more runs in the bottom of the third.

Gilbert scored its first run in the top of the fourth inning to make it 6-1, but Matewan scored twice in the bottom of the same frame to make it an 8-1 game.

The Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the fifth inning that made it 9-1.

Gilbert scored three runs in the top of the sixth to cut the Tigers' lead to 9-4. Matewan plated its last two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 11-4.

The Lions rallied in the top of the seventh inning scoring four runs, but Matewan held on for the win.

Colton Copley pitched the win for Matewan. He went four innings before being relieved by freshman Austin Reed. Copley came back to the mound in the seventh inning to finish the game.

Roger Slone and Cody Gooslin each hit a pair of singles and a double for Matewan. Logan Lester smacked three singles. Corey Cisco hit a pair of singles. Cody Centers belted a double. Copley, Josh Sammons and Chaz Clusky each had a basehit.

"We played better than we have been," Matewan Coach Danny "B.B." Perkins said. "But, we didn't finish them off and let them hang around. They got some runs late. Anytime anyone can hit the ball like Carter does, your team will stay in the game."

Gilbert's Josh Carter blasted two homeruns.

Ryan Altizer hit a triple and a single.

Travis Hatfield and Tommy Grimmett each hit a double, while Roger Ellis and Austin Trent hit a single apiece.

Grimmett was tagged with the loss on the mound.

The Tigers return to action this evening at Mount View and tomorrow at Phelps (Ky.) in a 1 p.m. start. Matewan then returns to Tiger Stadium for a four-game homestand starting with Mount View on Monday, Tug Valley on Tuesday, Burch on Wednesday and Pike Central (Ky.) on Thursday.

The Tigers were playing without Max Whitt, who was out for unspecified reasons.

Copley, who suffered a sprained ankle during the Tigers' tournament play at Myrtle Beach, is still not 100 percent, Perkins said.