The Tigers travelled to Prairie City for a big conference showdown with contender PCM Mustangs.  Sophomore Parker Christian took the mound, and Gilbert walked away with a 3-2 win, keeping their conference record perfect at 10-0 (15-2 overall).

     The Mustangs scored an unearned run in the first, when a couple of uncharacteristic infield errors and a double allowed three hitters to reach base.  A key defensive play for the Tigers came when junior catcher Isaac Maffett gunned down PCM's Jordan Van Roeckel trying to steal second, making the second out.  A ground-out ended the inning with a runner on third, and the damage was limited to a single run.

     The Tigers scored two in the second inning, when sophomores Walker Day and AJ Rutter started the inning with a double and an infield single.  When junior Ben Aretz squirted the ball back to the mound, the pitcher tossed it past the catcher allowing Day to score and Rutter to advance to third.  Rutter scored on a groundout RBI by sophomore center fielder Tony Peterson.  

     PCM tied the game 2-2 with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, and the tie stood until the seventh inning.

     Day led off the seventh with a walk, and Rutter bunted him to second.  Freshman Jordan Knock later earned the game-winning RBI on a well-struck grounder to shortstop.

     Christian spread 4 hits over his six innings of work, striking out two and walking none.  Junior Joe Goodman finished the game, striking out the side in order in the bottom of the seventh.  Over the last three games, Tiger pitchers Goodman, Mack Boothe and Christian have combined to strike out 36 hitters while walking none.