The Elks suffered their first loss of the 2013 Babe Ruth season when they dropped an 8-4 decision to A-Plus Collision Center on Thursday night in five innings.

A-Plus Collision (2-1, 1-1) took control of the contest early and built a 6-1 lead through the first three innings of play.

After the Elks (2-1, 1-1) cut the deficit to 6-4 in the top of the fourth, A-Plus responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame to open up an 8-4 advantage before the game's time limit expired in the fifth inning.

Eight-hit attack

Bolstered by their early offensive surge, APCC finished with eight hits and four walks overall to go along with four Elk errors. Bryce Wunderlin and starting pitcher Brayden Gentry both tallied two hits to lead A-Plus Collision at the plate with Wunderlin driving in two runs. Tristan Underwood also added a double and 3 RBI, while Ethan Evans (1 RBI), Lucas Welch (1 RBI), and Hunter Cummings all singled.

Gentry picked up the win on the mound as well and allowed four runs in four and two-third innings of work on seven hits and two walks to go along with seven strikeouts. Wunderlin then came on in relief of Gentry and retired the lone batter he faced in the fifth inning.

J.D. Crabtree paced the Elks' offensive attack by going 2-for-2 with a double, 3 RBI, and a run scored, while Jay Lyons (1 RBI), Wilson Limbaugh, starting hurler Ben Taylor, Will Johnson, and Derrick McKnight each had one hit.

Taylor suffered the loss after yielding six runs in two plus innings of work on seven hits and three walks. Lyons then took the mound and gave up two unearned runs on one hit and one walk over two innings.

Early lead

Gentry worked around a one-out walk by Iendi Biggers in the top of the first inning with the help of a 6-4-3 double play before A-Plus Collision pushed across three runs in the bottom half of the frame to grab a 3-0 lead. After APCC loaded the bases with no outs on a Gentry single and a pair of walks by Bailey and McGehee, Underwood drove in Gentry and Bailey with a two-run single to centerfield. Underwood then stole second and advanced to third on a Elk throwing error while McGehee scored on the play.

The Elks trimmed the deficit to 3-1 in the top of the second when McKnight raced home on a two-out RBI single by Crabtree after beating out an infield single and stealing second.

Ahead to stay

A-Plus Collision then stretched their lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the second behind a two-run single by Wunderlin before opening up a 6-1 advantage in the third inning on a Welch RBI single.

In the top of the fourth, the Elks got back into the contest by crossing home plate three times thanks to a two-run double by Crabtree and a Lyons RBI single to narrow the gap to 6-4.

APCC, though, mounted an immediate response and tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth with the aid of two errors, a Wunderlin double, and a RBI fielder's choice by Underwood to stretch their lead to 8-4.

The Elks then left runners on the corners in the top of the fifth before the game was called due to time constraints.