Baxter baseball takes down Tripoli, matches 2018 win total

BAXTER — Cole Damman got his first win of the season on the mound, Carter Nelsen struck out the side in the seventh and Baxter’s baseball team won its second straight game with an 8-3 victory over Tripoli at home on Monday.

The Bolts are 4-8 on the season, bettering last year’s win total of three. Tripoli stayed winless at 0-8.

The Panthers led 2-1 after three innings as Baxter left the bases loaded in the bottom of the third.

The Bolts jumped ahead with three runs in the fourth and stayed ahead for good with a four-run fifth.

In the fourth, Baxter scored three runs on two hits, a walk and a pair of Tripoli errors.

The four-run fifth included a two-out, two-run single by Nelsen.

Damman pitched the first six innings to get the win.

He allowed three earned runs on five hits with three walk and seven strikeouts. At the plate, Damman also had two hits, two runs and an RBI.

Nelsen pitched the final inning and struck out the side on 12 pitches.

Nelsen had three hits, four RBIs and two steals on offense.

Derrick Klemme collected one hit, two walks and an RBI, Rory Heer finished with one hit, one walk and two runs and Thomson and Cody Damman each had one hit and one run. Thomson also had an RBI and Cody Damman drew a walk.

Baxter plays Riceville at 4 p.m. on Wednesday in Riceville.