Eagles fall to Bulldogs in five

J.D. Briones powered South Putnam to a strong start with a three-run home run in the first inning, but Monrovia bounced back to take a 13-3 victory in a five-inning West Central Conference baseball game Thursday on the Eagles' field.

The right-handed hitting Briones blasted a towering fly ball that cleared the right-field fence, driving in Aaron Parker and Seth Hammond for a 3-0 led. Parker had walked and Hammond singled.

Starting pitcher Parker limited Monrovia to one run and one hit through three innings.

"The first three innings, we played well," South Putnam coach Ryan Gilman said.

Parker's control deserted him in the fourth and fifth, walking five. They all scored. Monrovia (5-2, 4-0 WCC) also combined for seven hits in the fourth and fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring six runs in each inning.

"Monrovia did a good job, got runners on base and strung together a couple of big innings," Gilman said. "Aaron (Parker) did a good job. I wish he'd had had more control. Monrovia was able to put the ball in play in the fourth and fifth innings."

Four of Monrovia's runs off Parker were unearned, the result of two batters who struck out reaching base. Parker struck out five in the fifth inning and 12 in the game. He walked seven, allowed eight hits and had three wild pitches.

South Putnam (3-6, 1-5 WCC) had six hits, four in the first inning. In addition to Briones' home run, Rob Gibson had a pair of singles and Hammond, Cody Heller and Nick Scott had one single each.

At South Putnam

Monrovia 010 66 -- 3 8 1

South Putnam 300 00 -- 3 6 1

Zier and Noel; Parker and Thompson.

Zier: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 K, 3 BB.

Parker: 5 IP, 8 H, 13 R, 6 ER, 12 K, 7 BB.

HR: SP -- Briones, 2 on in 1st. DBL: M -- Gray; 1B: M -- Benefie1 2, Noel, Gray, Marley, Parton, Zier; SP -- Gibson 2, Hammond, Scott.