A three run uprising in the last of the first inning was just the beginning for Happy Valley on Monday night. The Warriors (7-2, 2-2 TRC) rapped out 13 hits and pitcher Justin Morefield went the distance in a 9-1 victory over Sullivan North in Three Rivers Conference action at Cannon Gouge Park.

“Justin, I thought, did a great job for us tonight,” commented Warriors head coach Brad Hill. “Saving our bullpen in a big conference week coming up. Getting us back to .500 in the conference, going the distance and gives us our full compliment of pitching the rest of the week.”

Morefield gave up four hits, while striking out five and walking as many, but had a no hitter going through four and two thirds innings before Gavon Rupe blooped a single to short centerfield in the last of the fifth.

“I had a good fastball today,” Morefield said. “I just try to stay ahead of the hitters, and my defense got me out of a lot of jams tonight. I had a lot of faith in my fastball tonight.”

Catcher Bailey Conley stroked a single with two out in the last of the first, which was followed by an RBI double off the bat of first baseman Ryne Baines to give HV a 1-0 lead. Ian Scruggs singled home Baines and Morefield singled sharply to left scoring Scruggs.

The middle of the Happy Valley lineup – Conley, Baines and Scruggs – went a combined eight-for-10 at the plate with two runs batted in. Leadoff hitter Taylor Hurley was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.

The Warriors scored single runs in each of the next four innings to take a 7-0 lead and chased Rupe from the hill for the Raiders in the fourth. In the second frame it was Tyler Hurley’s RBI hit that scored Taylor who doubled in front of him.

In the third frame Landon Morefield had an RBI hit and in the fourth a wild pitch by Raiders reliever Darius Peterson brought home the sixth run of the night for HV.

Baines drew a bases loaded walk that forced in a run in the fifth and in the sixth, three Sullivan North errors and an RBI grounder by Alton Clark pushed across the last run of the night. North broke the shutout in the sixth as Nick Maupin drew a leadoff walk.

One out later, Peterson reached on the only error of the game by HV to plate Maupin and put Peterson at second base. Morefield then struck out Peyton Robinson and after a harmless single from Connor Copas, he retired Nick Rowland on a grounder to third.

“Conley got us started in the first with two outs,” Hill said. “I thought our base runners did a great job taking extras bases early on. Ryne had a good at bat late in the game taking a walk to force in a run. He didn’t open up or make his zone bigger, and he has been swinging the bat good for us lately.”

Happy Valley 9-1

Sullivan North 000 001 0 – 1 4 3

Happy Valley 311 112 x – 9 13 1

W – Morefield L – Rupe

2B – Baines, Ta. Hurley