NEW SHARON – One big inning proved costly for the North Mahaska baseball team in their season opener Wednesday. Baxter scored nine runs in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and held off the Warhawks for a 10-4 victory.

Baxter’s Cael Wishman accounted for half of the Bolt’s runs with two homeruns and a single. Wishman’s solo shot gave Baxter a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. North Mahaska answered in the bottom of the fifth when Hunter Wernli walked and stole second base. NM loaded the bases with two outs when Lucas Nunnikhoven singled to drive in Wernli.

Wishman opened the Baxter sixth inning with a single and a single, double, three errors helped the Bolts bat around. Wishman came to the plate a second time in the inning and drilled a three-run dinger.

“One big inning, that’s the story,” said NM coach Kevin Kelderman. “We came back in the sixth but could not get back.”

North Mahaska pounded out 10 singles in the contest. Jack Kelderman, Lucas Nunnikhoven and Luke Boender each hit two. Logan Baldock, Tyson Ferguson, Nunnikhoven and Boender each recorded an RBI.

Jaxon VanDerVeer was the starting pitcher going 4 1/3 innings. He allowed a run on one hit, two walks, a hit batsman and five strikeouts. Kelderman went 1 1/3 innings with nine runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batsman. Dane Van Mersbergen tossed the final 1 1/3. He walked one and struck out three.

North Mahaska will return to action Tuesday at Keota then will host Lynnville-Sully on Wednesday. Both games are slated for 5:30 p.m.