BASEBALL: DMS opens with a pair of wins at Carlyle

Du Quoin Middle School baseball swept their opening two games of the season at Carlyle on Saturday behind a solid performance on the pitching mound in both contests.

First, the Warriors hammered Carlyle 11-2, getting five and two-thirds innings from starter Brain Winters, who allowed two earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out seven to get the victory. A.J. Rice finished up the final inning and a third without allowing a hit. He walked one and fanned one.

Offensively, the big inning for DMS came in the top of the fifth. Already up 2-0, Du Quoin piled on five more with five straight hits to start the rally - doubles by Trae Horn and Winters and base hits by Alex Zimmerman, Braeden Pursell and Slade West.

For the game, Winters (3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B), Zimmerman (3-5, R, 3B) and Konner Harris (3-4, 2 R, 2B) each had three hits. Pursell (1-4), West (1-4), Rice (1-1, R), Horn (2-3, R) and Owen Bradley (1-4, R) also had hits for the Warriors.

Game two was far more dramatic with the Warriors escaping with a 6-5 victory over Flora thanks in part to a wild throw by the opposing catcher.

Flora had just tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the sixth with three runs when Du Quoin answered in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Winters doubled and Zimmerman singled to put runners at the corners. Zimmerman then stole second base and the errant throw allowed Winters to cross home plate with the go-ahead run for DMS.

Zimmerman got the win on the mound allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts in six innings of work. West (1 IP, 0 H, BB, K) picked up a save after pitching around a one-out walk in the seventh.

Winters (3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B), Zimmerman (1-4), West (2-4, RBI), Bradley (2-3, R), Harris (1-3, R) and Ethan Zettler (1-3) hit safely for the Warriors against Flora.

"Our pitching was really solid all day," said Du Quoin head coach Tim Craft. "Offensively, we have to do a better job of putting the ball in play, but I think that will come. I am really pleased with the hustle our kids showed today."

DMS (2-0) hosts Benton on Monday in their season opener at The Ballpark at Du Quoin High School with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m.