GLADSTONE - Matt Weyers wasted little time settling into a groove Thursday night as he helped the Gladstone Indians post a 3-0 American Legion baseball triumph over the Marquette Blues.
Weyers allowed just three hits with none coming after the third inning. He struck out four, walked one and hit a batter.
"When Matt gets into a rhythm, he really pounds the strike zone," Gladstone manager Jim Groleau said. "He has a pretty good fastball and tonight he was throwing his curveball for strikes. He did an excellent job."
The victory enabled Gladstone to gain a split in the season series with the Blues. The Indians dropped a 5-2 decision in Marquette (26-6) on May 22.
"This is a huge win for us," Groleau said. "The kids were focused from the onset. They really wanted this one."
Gladstone did all its scoring in the third inning. Peyton Jurek provided the Indians with their first run on a wild pitch. They gained a 2-0 lead on Jake Pearson's single to left field and got their third run on Hayden Hardwick's single to right.
In their previous outing, the Indians scored four times in the third frame of Tuesday's 4-3 triumph over Kingsford.
"The third inning has been pretty good for us lately," Groleau said. "I just wish we'd get a few runs in other innings, too. Although once you get a lead, you can see the confidence rise with the kids.
"We're getting just enough hits at the right time. Jake had a nice hit and Hayden is swinging a pretty good bat."
All of Thursday's runs came with two out in the third.
It looked like Marquette would get out of the inning when Jurek struck out, but he was safe at first base after Blues catcher Ryan Hansen dropped the ball. Also in the third, Marquette first baseman Riley Lynch dropped a fly ball in foul territory.
"You can't give a team like that five outs in an inning," Marquette manager Derek Swajanen said. "If you do, they're going to take advantage of it.
"Yet those things are sometimes going to happen. We're developing. We're about where we want to be. Gladstone has a very strong team. Defensively, they had a nice game."
The Indians collected seven hits off losing pitcher Nick Kamrada, who also pitched a complete game. Kamrada fanned seven and walked two.
Paul Tomaszewski and Cody Frazer led Gladstone's offense with two hits apiece.
"Nick pitched a solid game and their guy pitched real well," Swajanen said. "This was a good, fast game. I don't think it could have gone more than an hour and a half. Both teams played good defense."