craigdailypress.com

If throwing a three-pitch inning is rare in baseball, throwing two of them in the same game is almost unheard of.

Someone should tell that to Ivan Nielson.

Nielson, Moffat County American Legion Post 62 pitcher, needed only three pitches in the first and third innings in Tuesday's contest against Palisade.

Nielson threw 35 pitches in a five-inning, one-hit complete game for a 12-0 victory.

With his gem, Nielson ran the Bulldogs' winning streak to nine games.

That has given coach Justin Folley something to smile about.

"I think we 10-runned most of the teams we played," Folley said, alluding to the 10-run "mercy rule."

But Nielson wasn't alone in the effort, as the other eight Bulldogs on the diamond helped him when they could, Folley said.

"Ivan was fantastic, and our defense played real well," he said. "They weren't letting anything drop."

On June 27, the team swept a doubleheader in Rifle, before traveling to Grand Junction for four games in two days.

Against Grand Junction Central on Monday, Moffat County sent two Tigers to the mound, and both were great, Folley said.

Ben Williams, of Hayden, threw a complete game in the first contest, and fellow Hayden resident Mark Doolin pitched well in the second, Folley said.

Nathan Hill pitched the first game against Palisade, with Bubba Ivers coming in as a reliever.

Hill notched the win, and contributed with his bat, Folley said.

"Kulen Turner, Greg Blackstun and Nathan Hill were hitting all week," he said. "Those are the 7-8-9 guys in our lineup, and I think they had more than 20 hits combined in Grand Junction.

"It's a bonus when the bottom of your order produces like that. I know all three guys had been struggling, so it was good to see them swing the bats."

The team, which owns a record of 12-6, has not lost since a 4-0 setback June 18 against Carbondale.

On Wednesday, the team will travel to Summit for a doubleheader.