MOUNT SHASTA – The Etna Lions opened Shasta Cascade League play by sweeping the Mt. Shasta Bears in a double-header. Etna won game-one 14-3, and game-two 3-1.

In game –one, Etna put four runs on the board in the top of the first inning, and added another in the fourth. Mt. Shasta put up a run in the fourth inning and two in the bottom of the fifth, to make the score 5-3 in favor of Etna. The Lions, however, blew the game open with five runs in the top of the sixth, and added four more in the seventh to cruise to the 14-3 win.

Logan Dysert led the Lion attack, going 3-5, with a triple, double, three runs, and three RBI. Jordan Pehle-Munson went yard, scored two runs, and knocked in three, while going 3-5. Clint Johnson had a pair of doubles, scored three runs, and had an RBI, going 3-5. Beau Branson was 2-5 with two RBI. Mike Sanders went 2-3. Johnson started and notched the win (5IP, 3R, 4H, BB, 14K). Taylor Pehle-Munson pitched the final two innings in relief (2H, 2K).

Erik Acord went 1-4, with a double and a run. Klayton Davis was 1-3 with a run.

Game-two was a much more competitive affair. Greg Monday led off the game for the Lions and was hit by a pitch. J. Munson laid down a sacrifice bunt and Monday went to second. Dysert flied out, and Monday moved to third. Johnson singled to score Monday. Trevor Kendrick ripped a double down the left field line to score Johnson, and make it 2-0 for the Lions, after a half inning.

Davis walked to open the bottom half of the inning for the Bears, but was erased when Acord hit into a 4-6-3 double play. Trent Hough doubled, and Dallas Brooks was hit by a pitch, giving the Bears runners on first and second, but the next batter grounded out to end the inning.

Neither team scored in the second or third innings. Johnson led off the top of the fourth for Etna with a base hit, and moved to second on a failed pick off attempt. Kendrick flied out. Branson then singled to drive home Johnson and make it 3-0. The Bears did not score in the fourth.

Monday singled for Etna in the fifth and moved to second on a J. Munson sac fly, but the Lions didn’t bring him home. Bryson Brooks took a walk to lead off the bottom of the fifth for the Bears, but Kendrick gunned him out trying to steal second base. Andrew Campbell reached base on a strikeout-passed ball. Davis sacrificed Campbell to second on a bunt, and Acord singled to drive in Campbell, making it 3-1. Acord stole second, Hough was hit by a pitch, and the Bears seemed to have a two-out rally in the making. Lion catcher Kendrick, however, thought differently and picked Hough off of first base to end the threat.

The Lions had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the sixth, but the Bears came up with a big double-play. The Bear second baseman, Acord, caught a shallow fly ball in right field and threw out Johnson trying to score on the tag up.

The Bears got their lead off batter on in the bottom of the seventh, when Mike Manfredi walked. Manfredi advanced to second on a Bryson Brooks ground out. Campbell reached on an outfield error, and Manfredi attempted to score, but was tagged out in a run down between third and home. The next batter struck out, to end the game.

Johnson led the Lions, going 3-3, with two runs and an RBI. Kendrick was 1-3, with a double and an RBI. Monday went 1-3, scored a run, and was hit by a pitch. Branson had a sac RBI, and J. Munson had two sacrifices. Taylor Pehle-Munson got the complete game win (7IP, R, 3H, 3BB, 2HB, 6K)

Acord went 2-3 for the Bears, with a walk and an RBI. Hough was 1-2, with a double, and was hit by a pitch. Campbell scored the Bears’ only run. Matt Houston started and was tagged with the loss (7IP, 7H, BB, 3K).

Etna is 2-0 in the SCL (11-4) and will next see action in the Shasta Lake Bass Easter Baseball Classic , against U-Prep (1-5), at Big League Dreams, in Redding. The game starts at noon.

The Bears start the SCL 0-2 (2-8), and will also see action in the tourney, on Tuesday. Mt. Shasta is scheduled to play Corning (4-4) at noon.