MIAMISBURG — The Brookville Blue Devils varsity baseball team swept it first three games of the season to get out of the gate strong.

Monday the Devils posted a 15-8 victory at Dayton Christian on a pleasant, balmy evening.

Junior Lane Willoughby earned the victory by pitching four innings. He struck out six, walked two, surrendered three hits and one earned run. Willoughby threw 40 strikes out of 66 pitches.

Willoughby also went 3 for 4 at the plate with a double, two RBI and scored three runs.

Alec Halter took the loss for the Crusaders, getting tagged for three hits and six runs with two walks and two strikeouts in the first inning.

Brookville was leading 12-2 and on the verge of securing a run-rule victory when coach Tyler Eaton decided to lift Willoughby after he got tagged for a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth inning by Chris Hodge.

Cole Crabtree came on in relief and the next batter, Alec Halter, hit a single to shallow left center field. Isaac Scanlon stepped to the plate and belted a three-run homer to deep left to cut the Devils lead to 12-5.

Daniel Thoma reached on a fielding error, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a wild pickoff throw to third by catcher Kayde Baker.

Drew Mayl drew a walk and reached second on the wild throw to third. Mayl stole third base. Crabtree struck out Jack Orth but walked Noah Wickline. Mayl scored on a passed ball before Crabtree struck out Caleb Melcher and Caleb Forte to end the inning with the Devils holding a 12-7 lead.

Brookville added two more runs in the top of the sixth. Willoughby stroked a leadoff single to left and reached second when the left fielder mishandled the ball. Willoughby advanced to third on a passed ball.

Nathan Waggoner followed with a single to left to score Willoughby. Waggoner stole second and advanced to third on a ground out by Seth Hoover. Waggoner then scored on a wild pitch. The inning ended when Jace Wood struck out looking.

Landon Trent came in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Hodge drew a leadoff walk, stole second and third and scored on a single by Isaac Scanlon to make it 14-8.

The Devils tacked on another run in the top of the seventh. Sam Fullenkamp drew a one out walk, reached second on a passed ball and advanced to third on ground out to second by Baker. Fullenkamp then scored on a wild pitch. Trent doubled down the left field line but was left stranded on base.

After Titus Riddell drew a leadoff walk and stole second, Trent struck out Jack Orth. Noah Wickline hit a line drive that Fullenkamp snared at first and immediately threw to shortstop Jace Wood to catch Riddell off the bag for a game ending double play.

Brookville took a 6-0 first inning lead on RBI singles by Trent and Willoughby and a two-run double by Crabtree, who went 2 for 4 with three RBI. The Devils added a run in the top of the third on an error.

Dayton Christian got two runs in the bottom of the third. Brookville got its 15 runs on 11 hits with five errors. The Crusaders generated eight runs on six hits and also had five errors.

The Devils originally scheduled season opener Saturday at Twin Valley South was cancelled due to bad weather.

“I would have liked to have seen more strikes from of our relief pitchers and attack hitters a little bit more,” said Brookville coach Tyler Eaton. “They weren’t going to hit our best stuff. We just needed to pound the strike zone and we really didn’t do that in the middle innings.

“Willoughby did a great job getting us in the game and off and rolling. We just needed to clean it up a little in the middle innings,” Eaton added.

Tuesday the Blue Devils pounded out 11 hits to rout Tri-County North 13-1 in five innings. Trent went 3 for 4 with a home run and a double, scored three times and had four RBI. Crabtree went 2 for 3 with a double, one run and two RBI.

Jace Wood went 2 for 4 with one run and one RBI. Willoughby went 1 for 1 with two walks, three runs and one RBI. Lucas Horn went 1 for 3 with a walk, one run and one RBI.

Coltin Lawson picked up the victory with seven strikeouts in four innings of work. He scattered five hits with two walks.

Braylen Keener went 2 for 3 to lead Tri-County North. Koby Reynolds took the loss pitching three innings, surrendering seven hits, three earned runs, with six strikeouts and one walk.

Wednesday the Blue Devils held off Tecumseh to post a narrow 11-10 victory. Both teams generated 11 hits. Brookville held a seven run lead in the fifth inning and held off a late charge by the Arrows.

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].