Dexter first baseman Matt Banken applies the tag to Kelly's Dustin Crowden on a pickoff throw in the second inning Wednesday afternoon. Looking on is Dexter pitcher Eric Windham. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

DEXTER -- After four innings of scoreless baseball, both Kelly and Dexter were able to break through some solid pitching to put some runs on the board during the fifth. The Bearcats scored three more than the Hawks though, handing Kelly their third straight loss by the score of 4-1.

The Hawks struck first with two men on and two outs in the top of the fifth. Ethan Lee sent a double into right field which scored Ryan Essner from second base. Dustin LeGrand, who was on first, also tried to score for the Hawks but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Dexter's Eric Windham delivers a pitch in the first inning against Kelly Wednesday afternoon. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat) [Click to enlarge]

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bearcats had the bases loaded with two outs and Tyler Scott sitting at the plate with a full count. As the runner's took off, Scott sent a high fly ball into short right field. The right fielder, Lee, sprinted towards the ball and made a dive for it but came up short as the ball fell in front of him.

Scott emptied the bases with his only hit of the game to give the Bearcats a 3-1 lead.

Matt Banken added one more for the Bearcats in the bottom of the sixth inning off a single to left field that scored Ben Mills from second while the Hawks failed to score again.

Caleb Miller came into the top of the seventh inning to close out the game for the Bearcats. Miller gave up two hits and struck out one to earn the save.

Miller also had the only multi-hit game with two to add to the Bearcats total of seven hits which were all singles.

"We got a long way to go if we're going to make some noise at the end of the year," Kelly head coach Nathan Wills said. "We just have to get better all around. We got to get timely hits and be more disciplined with our approach at the plate."

The Hawks kept waiting for a timely hit to come their way as they left nine base runners stranded on the day.

"We're just going to keep trying to get better," Wills said. "We're just have to go back to working in the cage and working on the little stuff. Because, against a quality club like Dexter if you don't do the little things right you're going to lose and that's what kind of happened today."

Craig Ervin received the loss for the Hawks. Ervin went 4 2/3 innings allowing three runs, five hits and seven walks.

"He was good," Wills said about his pitcher's performance. "The good thing about him is that it doesn't matter how up or down the game is, he's even keel. We know what we're get- ting with Craig every time out.

"We're just going to have to get some more run support for him. One run in a high school game, very seldom is not going to hold up as it didn't today."

Lee had the only extra base hit for the Hawks going 1-4 with an RBI. Levi Felter and LeGrand had two hits a piece accounting for over half of the Hawks seven hits.

As for Dexter's side, Eric Windham picked up the win after six innings of work. Windham struck out eight batters and allowed seven hits and five walks.

"Both pitcher's did a good job," Dexter head coach Brian Becker said. "We got the ball in the air too much and they didn't have to make any tough plays except for the one where we scored our runs on. We had a tough time stringing hits together. That's credit to they're pitcher."

"I thought our pitcher did a good job of throwing strikes for the most part. He threw the ball well today."

For their next games, Dexter will host the Oran Eagles on Friday, as the Hawks will try again to get their first win of the season against Woodland next Monday.