EAST CLARENDON — The Otter Valley Union High School baseball team on Monday defeated host Mill River, 7-1, in the season opener for both squads.
Derek Aines tossed a complete-game three-hitter for OV, walking one and striking out five. He allowed MRU to score only in the seventh, when the Minutemen bunched two of their hits and used an RBI groundout to plate a baserunner.
OV took a 1-0 lead in the first when Reilly Shannon singled and came around on a ground out and two MRU miscues.
The Otters then pulled away with two runs in each of the 5th, 6th and 7th innings. Dominic McCullough and Angelo McCullough each scored in the fifth, Dominic McCullough after reaching on the first of his two hits; MRU misplays allowed them to cross the plate.
In the sixth the Otters followed an MRU error with a Payson Williams single, a Kellin Bissette double and a Nate Hudson single to add two more runs. The Otters capped the scoring in the seventh when Josh Beayon singled and moved around the bases on more MRU mistakes, and then Williams singled and scored on a Dominic McCullough double to create the final score.
The Otters are scheduled to visit Windsor on Monday.