Durant gets an easy win on Senior Day.
The Durant Cougars (11-6) delivered a dominant performance on their home field, defeating the Armwood Hawks (4-12) by a final score of 13-3 in a game highlighted by explosive offense, strong pitching, and a memorable Senior Day celebration on Saturday.
The Cougars set the tone early behind starting pitcher Aidan Junttila, who came out sharp in the top of the first inning. He opened the game by striking out the Hawks’ leadoff batter, immediately establishing control on the mound. The next batter attempted to bunt for a base hit, but Durant third baseman, Caleb Lambert, charged the ball and made an impressive throw to first for the second out. Armwood managed to get something going with a two-out double on a full count, and the runner advanced to third during the next at-bat. However, Junttila remained composed and induced a flyout to right field to escape the inning unscathed.
Durant’s offense wasted no time taking control in the bottom of the first inning in what became a game-defining rally. Brennan Bailey led off and was hit by a pitch on the very first offering, forcing him to exit the game. Tanner Gonser entered as a pinch runner, and the Cougars immediately capitalized. Brady Kelley followed with a sharp RBI double to left field, bringing Gonser home for the game’s first run.
The offensive surge continued as Jackson McClellan was also hit by a pitch, putting two runners on with no outs. Shawn Graves stepped in and delivered an RBI single, placing runners on the corners. With pressure mounting, Lambert worked a full count before drawing a walk to load the bases.
Max Mazur then delivered one of the biggest hits of the inning, a two-run single that extended Durant’s lead to 4-0. Junttila helped his own cause next, ripping a single through the infield to make it 5-0, still with no outs. The Cougars’ aggressive baserunning and patience at the plate continued to overwhelm Armwood, as a combination of walks and wild pitches kept the bases loaded.
That set the stage for Jacob Purcell, who delivered the highlight of the game—a towering grand slam that broke the game wide open and pushed the score to 9-0 without an out recorded. The Cougars were relentless, continuing to put the ball in play and force mistakes. Later in the inning, Graves added an RBI double to cap off a remarkable 10-run first inning before Lambert flew out to finally end the frame.
With a commanding lead, Junttila returned to the mound in the second inning and continued his dominance. He retired the side in order, recording two more strikeouts to bring his total to three through two innings while keeping the Hawks off balance.
Durant added to its lead in the bottom of the second. Mazur led off with a double, and Junttila followed with another single to put runners on the corners. Derick Motnezz drove in a run with an RBI single, extending the lead to 11-0. Although the inning ended with limited additional damage, the Cougars remained firmly in control.
Armwood showed some life in the top of the third against new pitcher Jacob Purcell. After issuing back-to-back walks, the Hawks capitalized on a fielder’s choice and subsequent opportunities to plate three runs, trimming the deficit to 11-3. Despite the brief momentum shift, Durant’s defense prevented further damage and maintained a comfortable lead.
The Cougars responded again in the bottom of the third. Kelley was hit by a pitch to lead off and aggressively advanced on the basepaths, eventually scoring on a wild pitch to make it 12-3. Durant continued to threaten with runners on base, but Armwood managed to limit the inning to just one run.
Durant’s pitching depth was on full display as Jackson McClellan took over in the fourth inning. Despite allowing a leadoff walk, he settled in quickly, striking out two batters and benefiting from a catch to stop a runner from stealing third base to end the inning efficiently.
In the bottom half, several Cougars players saw action as part of the Senior Day rotation. Travis Gonser, Hunter Statzer, Tanner Gonser, and Mikkel Villacres all made appearances, though the Hawks held them scoreless in the inning.
Kylon Spare took the mound in the fifth and delivered a clean and efficient outing. After striking out the first batter he faced, he allowed a single but quickly erased it with a double play to end the inning and keep Armwood off the scoreboard.
Durant added one final run opportunity in the bottom of the fifth. Tristan Macpherson and CT Freedman both reached base, and Caiden Perez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mazur then hit into a fielder’s choice, which brought the game to an end due to the 10-run mercy rule, sealing a 13-3 victory for the Cougars.
The win was a complete team effort, highlighted by timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and strong performances on the mound. Junttila set the tone early, while Purcell’s grand slam provided the decisive blow. Nearly every player in the lineup contributed in some way, making the Senior Day celebration even more special.
With the victory, Durant improves to 11-6 on the season and continues to build momentum as the season progresses. The Cougars will look to carry this energy into their upcoming matchups as they aim to finish the regular season strong.
