Marshall Medical Center (MMC) pitcher Austin Grubbs tossed a two-hitter versus A-Plus Collision Center in Tuesday night's Marshall County Babe Ruth League nightcap.

Grubbs surrendered one earned run, walked six and struck out seven A-Plus batters in the five-inning, 8-1 run-rule win.

Nate Thomason led the way for the MMC offense, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

No more jam

Grubbs worked his way out of a two-on, two-out jam in the top of the first inning and in the bottom of the frame, Thomason led off with a base hit and proceeded to steal second base.

A-Plus starting hurler Matthew McCormick hit Jackson Coward with a pitch and Caleb Crowell drew a walk to load the bases.

Grubbs helped himself out when knocked in Thomason with a sacrifice fly before McCormick escaped any further damage with an inning ending groundball.

The first two A-Plus batters were retired in the top of the second inning and a base on balls to Marcus Dotson was wiped away when Crowell nailed Dotson trying to steal second base.

Run after run

Bo Vanhooser drilled a one-out double in the bottom of the inning and after a strikeout, Thomason beat out an infield grounder to put MMC runners on the corners.

An A-Plus error sent Vanhooser to the plate, making it 2-0 and Coward got beaned for a second time to load the bases.

Crowell ripped an RBI single to left field and as the ball got past the A-Plus outfielder, two more runs crossed the home plate.

Grubbs retired the side in order in the third inning before MMC picked up two more unearned runs in the bottom of the frame to make it a 7-0 ballgame.

With two outs in the top of the fourth inning, Tristan Maxwell spoiled Grubbs' no-hit bid with a solid single to right field, but Grubbs came back with an inning ending strikeout.

Three straight outs

Mitchell Ford set down MMC 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning and Laramie Plott led off the next inning with a base on balls.

Plott stole second base and it looked like he would be stranded there when Grubbs whiffed the next two batters, but a walk to Mark Mader was followed by an RBI base hit by Chandler Gylespie, making it 7-1.

MMC speedster Allante Watts led off the bottom of the fifth with a base on balls and promptly stole second base before scoring the run-rule clincher via another A-Plus miscue in the field.

A-Plus 000 01-1 2 5

MMC 142 01-8 6 1

A-Plus: Tristan Maxwell 1-for-1, Chandler Gylespie 1-for-2.

RBI: Gylespie

MMC: Nate Thomason 3-for-3, Caleb Crowell 1-for-2, Allante Watts 1-for-2, Bo Vanhooser 1-for-2.

RBI: Crowell 1, Grubbs 1, Bo Vanhooser 1.

WP: Austin Grubbs

LP: Matthew McCormick