Nichirin, coming off back-to-back wins over A-Plus took on the first place Elks in Monday’s second game of the Marshall County Babe Ruth League twin bill and took early lead before Elks’ ace Carson Cheek slammed the door shut in an 10-2 win.

Cheek gave up a pair of first inning runs on doubles by Trey Warner and John Morgan Thomas plus an Elks error before allowing just two more hits the rest of the game.

Cheek struck out 11 and walked none as the Elks moved to 4-1 on the season.

Tristan Griggs led the Elks offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored.

Thomas Beech also had a productive night at the dish, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Devin Wiser, Cheek, and Micah Riddle all had one hit apiece.

After Nichirin plated their only two runs in the top of the first inning Nichirin starting pitcher Trey Warner held the Elks scoreless over the first three innings before they tied the game in the bottom of the fourth via two unearned runs.

Cheek escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the in the top of the fifth before the Elks took the lead for good with two runs in the home half of the stanza, thanks to bases on balls to Micha Riddle, Easton McMahon and Garrett Mead plus a base hit by Griggs and a steal of home by Mead.

Jackson Kelso got the last hit off Cheek leading off the top of the sixth but was left stranded at second.

The Elks put the game away in the bottom of the inning, scoring six runs with the big hits coming on RBI singles by Beech, Riddle, and Griggs.

Cheek whiffed three out of the four hitters he faced in the top of the seventh to secure the win and remain unbeaten on the mound for the season for the Elks.

Nichirin 200 000 0-2 4 3

Elks 000 226 X-10 8 2

Nichirin: Trey Warner 1-for-3, John Morgan Thomas 1-for-3, Reid Mitchell 1-for-2, Jackson Kelso 1-for-2.

RS: Warner, Thomas.

2B: Thomas, Warner.

RBI: Thomas.

SAC: James Hery.

ROE: Lucas Hery, Kristian Malone.

HBP: Mitchell, Jackson Rogers.

SB: Lucas Hery, Mitchell.

Team LOB: 6

Fielding

E: Gavin Darnell, Bailin Luttrell, Malone.

LP: Trey Warner (5IP, 4H, 4R, 3ER, 8K, 4BB).

Relief: John Morgan Thomas (1IP, 4H, 6R, 0ER, 2K, 1BB).

Elks: Tristan Griggs 3-for-4, Thomas Beech 2-for-4, Devin Wiser 1-for-4, Carson Cheek 1-for-4, Micah Riddle 1-for-2.

BB: Kyrklin Wunderlin, Riddle, Connor Jones, Easton McMahon, Garrett Mead.

RS: Cheek 2, Mead 2, Griggs, Wiser, Beech, Riddle, Jones, McMahon.

RBI: Beech, Griggs, Riddle.

ROE: Cheek, Wiser, Mead.

SB: Griggs 2, Mead 2, Cheek, McMahon, Riddle.

CS: Griggs, Riddle.

PIK: Beech, Wunderlin.

Team LOB: 2

Fielding

E: McMahon 2.

WP: Carson Cheek (7IP, 4H, 2R, 1ER, 11K, 0BB).