MATEWAN – After allowing the Burch Bulldogs baseball team to take a 6-3 lead in the second inning, the Matewan Tigers rallied to get an 18-7 win in six innings Friday at Tiger Stadium.

Matewan led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the second inning, but the Bulldogs scored a game-tying run on a Jacob Stratton single and Ryan Hatfield blasted a three-run triple that gave Burch a 6-3 lead.

But, the BHS advantage was short-lived as the Tigers scored seven unanswered runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead for good. Burch managed another run in the fourth that made it 10-7, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get.

Matewan scored five more runs in the top of the fifth inning and then tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the sixth to get the six-inning win.

Austin Reed pitched the win for Matewan. He went four innings, giving up seven runs on three hits. He walked four and struck out four.

Keith Hill suffered the loss on the mound for Burch. He went the full six innings and struck out five batters. Chaz Clusky smacked a three-run inside-the-park homerun and a single and batted in five runs to lead Matewan. Corey Cook hit a double and two singles and knocked in two runs. Grant

Charles hit a single and knocked in four runs. Charles also stole six bases. Jeffree Pruitt hit a double and a single.

Cody Centers and Stephen Justice hit a single and an RBI each, while Reed knocked in a run.

"We're starting to come together," Matewan Coach Danny "B.B." Perkins said. "This was a good chance to get everybody into a game."

Perkins benched the Tigers starters and played his junior varsity team the entire game.

For Burch, Hatfield hit two triples and a single, knocked in four runs and scored three. Jacob Stratton hit a single and two RBI. Hill hit two singles. Zac Runyon hit a single and Chase Dotson reached base twice on walks. The Bulldogs committed 12 errors in the game.

"Our players get down, but they don't give up," Burch Assistant Coach Hurston Vinson said. "They play to the end and they are learning and improving every game. If we had a home field, you would see a different team. These kids are great kids and want to learn. Coach (James "Butch") Joplin and myself are committed to these kids. We just need the community to support and back us."

Burch, still searching for its first win of the season, is scheduled to play at Tolsia on Monday in a 6:30 p.m. game and at Williamson on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The Bulldogs then travel to Gilbert on Thursday evening for a 5:30 contest. Matewan improves to 7-8 with the win and was scheduled to play at Van Saturday, weather permitting. The Tigers are scheduled to play Tug Valley on Monday.