Will Starling allowed zero earned runs in a 4-2 victory over Macon-East for the Pike Liberal Patriots on the baseball diamond Wednesday in Troy.

Starling threw a complete game on the mound for the Patriots (3-0, 2-0 AISA Class 3A, Region 1), allowing two unearned runs on two hits. He struck out nine batters, walked one and hit two.

“It wasn’t easy by any means and I had a lot of help from my teammates and coach Johnny (Dunn) called some good pitches,” Starling said. “I felt good today out there.”

Starling helped himself at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a three-run home run.

“I got a first-pitch fastball for a ball and their pitcher was getting behind batters early, so I knew he had to come with a fastball and I hit it,” Starling said.

Starling launched the ball over the center field fence in the first inning, plating Ross Hixon, who reached on a single, and Bradley Floyd, who walked, for an early 3-0 lead.

Macon scored two runs on a home run in the third inning and Pike pushed the final run of the game across in the sixth inning when Corey Goodson walked and Floyd laced an RBI double, scoring pinch runner Evan Strother.

“This was a great win for us and we had to have this,” PLAS head coach Butch Austin said. “We worked hard in the snow Sunday, we worked hard Monday and Tuesday and it paid off today. I am proud of the guys.”

Click here for a photo gallery of Wednesday’s action