By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — Just call him “Shutdown Brown.”

Drew Brown pitched 6 scoreless innings allowing just one hit and Blake “Gipper” Stuntebeck provided the big bat as the St. Joseph Flyers erased an early deficit to beat the South Point Pointers 6-5  in 8 innings on Monday.

“We couldn’t throw strikes early and Drew Brown came in and all he did was throw strikes. That was a great effort on his part and our guys rallied behind him,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant.

Sophomore Drew Brown came in relief after Michael Mahlmeister and Elijah Rowe walked 7 batters and hit another between them.

Brown struck out 8, walked one and hit a batter.

Stuntebeck started the 8th inning with a double, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brown.

“Give our kids credit. We were down 5-1 in the second and our kids didn’t let it bother them,” said Bryant.

The Flyers (19-2) went up 1-0 in the top of the first when Rowe walked, stole second and came around to score on a throwing error.

The Pointers came back to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning.

Nakian Dawson, Blaine Freeman and Joey Lobaldo walked and Kolton Hanshaw singled home 2 runs.

South Point (4-16) extended its lead to 5-1 in the second.

With one out, Gage Chapman doubled, Tanner Runyon and Dawson walked and Levi Lawson hit a sacrifice fly.

Freeman walked to re-load the bases and then Joey Lobaldo walked and Hanshaw was hit by a pitch to force in the final 2 runs.

St. Joseph began its comeback with 3 runs in the top of the third.

Mark Hodges reached on an error and Landon Rowe and Brady “Q” Medinger drew walks with one out.

Stuntebeck then lined a 2-out double to centerfield to clear the bases.

The Flyers tied the game in the fourth as Brown singled, stole second and third and came home on a balk.

Neither team scored over the next 3 innings setting up the Flyers’ winning rally in the 8th.

Hits were at a premium with both teams. The Flyers had 4 hits and the Pointers 3.

Stuntebeck was 2-3 with 2 doubles and 3 runs batted in. Brown was 1-3 with an RBI and Neal 1-4 with a double.

Dawson was 1-2, Hanshaw 1-3 with 3 RBI, Chapman 1-3 with a double and Lawson had an RBI.

St. Joseph 103 100 01 = 6 4 3

South Point 230 000 00 = 5 3 2

Michael Mahlmeister, Elijah Rowe (2), Drew Brown (3) and Blake Stuntebeck, Mahlmeister (2). Kolton Hanshaw, Brayden Layman (7) and Nakian Dawson. W-Brown (IP-6.0, H-1, R-0, K-8, BB-1, HBP-1, WP-1, Balk-1). Mahlmeister (IP-1.0, H-1, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-3). Rowe (IP-1.0, H-1, R-3, ER-3, K-1, BB-4, HBP-1, Balk-1). L-Layman (IP-1.1, H-2, R-1, ER-1, K-3, BB-0). Hanshaw (IP-6.2, H-2, R-5, ER-1, K-8, BB-5, WP-1, Balk-1). Hitting-S.J: Blake Stuntebeck 2-3 2-2B 3-RBI, Drew Brown 1-3 RBI, Wesley Neal 1-4 2B; SP: Nakian Dawson 1-2, Levi Lawson RBI, Kolton Hanshaw 1-3 3-RBI, Gage Chapman 1-3 2B.