ROCHESTER — Senior Zaine Young collected three hits and three right-handed pitchers — junior Braxton McGlothin, sophomore Brock Beehler and senior Brady Perez — worked around several base runners as Rochester topped Tippecanoe Valley 5-2 in Monday, May 6 in a Three Rivers Conference high school baseball at Bob Copeland Field.

Young’s double and two singles represented half the hits for the Zebras against senior Vikings left-hander Walter Lucas.

“His approach at the plate is really what we’ve been riding since the first week or so of the season,” said Rochester coach Cory Good of Young. “He’s just embraced it. He’s shortened his swing and just looked up the middle a little more.”

Tippy Valley produced 15 runners and stranded 11 of them. Rochester committed five errors. The Zebras had nine runners and left three while the Vikings made three miscues in the field.

“I like the way we didn’t let a bunch of errors keep compounding,” said Good after watching his team move to 9-7 overall and 5-1 in the TRC. “We came back and competed. “When we got a gift, we took advantage of it. “We just played level-headed. We’ve said all year — next pitch, next play, next inning, next at-bat, whatever it may be. I saw a little bit of that today.”

Perez worked the seventh for Rochester against Tippy Valley (7-5,3-2). He struck out the first batter. Senior Wes Melanson reached on an error and junior Tanner Trippiedi followed with a walk before two more strikeouts — one looking and one swinging ended the game.

“We’ve had some pitchers really step up this year,” said Good. “We have a really deep staff. We always have options. “McGlothin and Beehler are going to throw a ton of strikes. If they can locate, we’re going to get a lot of weakly-hit balls.”

The Zebras went down 1-2-3 against Lucas in the sixth with a pop-up and two strikeouts — one looking and one swinging.

The Vikings stranded two runners in the sixth against Beehler. With two outs (pop-up and caught-looking strikeout), junior Russ Paxton hustled for an infield single and Walters walked before a rally-ending groundout.

A hit batsman led to a Rochester in the fifth.

With one out, sophomore Kyle Reinartz was plunked by a Lucas pitch, moved to third base on a single to left by Perez and scored on Young’s dribbler single halfway down the third base line.

Lucas ended the threat by getting a pop-up and groundout. Tippy Valley left two runners against McGlothin in a score-free fifth.

Sophomore Layne Prater reached on a two-base error and Trippiedi walked around two fly-outs and an infield pop-up.

Rochester scored its fourth run in the fourth.

With one out, juniorTrey Stesiak walked. Sophomore courtesy runner Quin Stesiak stole second base and scored on two throwing errors before Lucas whiffed the last two batters in the inning.

The Vikings scored both its runs off McGlothin in the fourth. No. 9 hitter Paxton socked an 0-1 pitch over the 305-foot sign in the right field to plate junior Jakob Jones (lead-off walk) and himself.

“(Paxton) doesn’t want to leave that (No. 9) spot,” said Tippecanoe Valley coach Greg Prater. “He’s hitting the ball down there.”

In the Zebras third, Young singled while there were two catches by junior center fielder Tucker Shull and a groundout.

The Vikings had a single to right by Prater, two groundouts and fly-ball out against McGlothin in the third.

Rochester tallied the game’s first three runs on the same play in the second.

Young doubled to right. With one out, McGlothin had an infield single and Trey Stesiak walked to fill the bases.

Sophomore Grant McCarter’s double to center drove in Young, McGlothin and courtesy runner Quin Stesiak (running for Trey Stesiak) before two Lucas strikeouts ended the uprising.

The Tippy Valley second opened with sophomore Payton Mills reaching on a two-base error, moving to third base on a Jones infield hit against McGlothin. Mills was cut down at the plate on a fielder’s choice — third baseman Young to catcher Trey Stesiak for the second out. The third out was a infield pop-up as two runners were left.

Rochester went down in order in the bottom of the first against Walters with two fly-outs and a groundout.

The Vikings left two runners on against McGlothin in the top of the first. Walter led off the game with a single to left and Prater rapped a one-out single to left before McGlothin coaxed two fly-outs.

Both teams are scheduled to play Wednesday, May 8 — Rochester at Southwood and Tippecanoe Valley at Peru.

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