TAGGED & TUMBLED — North Union catcher Kegan Boland (right) watches Lake Mills runner Jack Ramaker tumble to the plate after being tagged out during Top of Iowa Conference baseball action in Bancroft, Iowa, on Monday night. (Photo by Greg Abel)

BANCROFT — Two big innings sank the Warriors.

The Lake Mills Bulldogs scored eight runs over two innings to lead to a 12-4 Top of Iowa Conference baseball win over North Union on Monday night at Bancroft Memorial Field.

The Bulldogs put together four runs on one hit in the second. Hayden Brua reached when he was hit by a pitch, then Jack Ramaker reached second and put Brua on third on a throwing error.

Wyatt Helming then walked to load the bases before a strikeout got the first out of the frame.

Garrett Ham brought two runners in with a line drive single up the middle, then advanced to second on the throw home, before another throwing error allowed a third run to score and put Ham on third. Ham then scored on a suicide-squeeze bunt.

The Bulldogs then used two hits to put up another four runs in the third. Brua led off the inning again, this time reaching on an error before Ramaker walked to put runners on first and second.

Dalton Thorson walked to load the bases before Ham recorded another two RBIs on a single to center, putting runners on first and third.

Thorson then scored on a steal of home before Ham stole second and third, then scored on a passed ball.

“We’ve started the year slowly, this is only our fourth game,” said North Union head coach Royce Byrnes. “It’s still really early, but I’m pleased with our progress so far. We struck out 17 times our first time out, we’ve hit the ball pretty decent the last three nights out. … The spot we do need to work on, every night out we have two or three innings where we give up three, four, five runs. Those two big innings, take those away and its 4-4. … Those innings have come from mental mistakes. … You can’t have those mental mistakes anymore at the varsity level.”

The Bulldogs added a run on no hits in the fourth, another on one hit in the fifth and two more on two hits in the sixth to build their advantage.

The Warriors got the scoring started in the opening frame.

North Union leadoff batter Caden DeVary started the game with a walk, then stole second on an 0-2 pitch before taking third on the following pitch when it went to the backstop.

DeVary scored when Jay Heinen lined a single that stayed just fair down the right-field line for an RBI.

Evan Bollinger followed Heinen with a single over the Bulldogs’ third baseman to put runners on first and second before Kegan Boland was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Luke Schmidt then grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Heinen.

The Warriors added two more in the third.

Heinen led off the inning with a walk, before Bollinger sent a liner to left to put runners on first and second.

Boland reached base on a fielder’s choice, which erased Heinen, then Schmidt grounded into another, but the throw to first for an attempted double play went wide and allowed Bollinger to score.

Logan Odegaard brought Schmidt around all the way from first to score on a deep double to the wall in left center field.

Boland started on the mound for North Union, allowing eight runs, four earned, on three hits and five walks, while striking out three in three innings of work.

Schmidt started the third inning, then Danyal Fothergill took over with the bases loaded and allowed one run on one hit and one walk, while striking out two in 2 2/3 innings.

Ryan Haukoos pitched the final 1 1/3 for the Warriors, making his varsity debut, and allowed two runs on two walks and two hits.

“Ryan didn’t do a whole lot of pitching before this year,” Byrnes said. “He’s gonna be a junior next school year, he pitched for us last week at the JV level and did a pretty good job. We called him up, with pitch counts and everything we need to follow he got a chance. … He did a good job, he was pretty nervous. We just had to talk to him and say, ‘It’s no different from JV, it’s just another baseball game.’ He did a pretty good job.”

DeVary reached base four times for the Warriors, while Heinen had a single, a walk and an RBI.

Bollinger had three hits, while Odegaard hit a double.

North Union (0-4) goes to Britt, Iowa, to face West Hancock in a Top of Iowa Conference matchup at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

LM 044 112 0 — 12 6 5

NU 202 000 0 — 4 5 4

Jack Ramaker (WP), Dalton Thorson (4) and Dalton Thorson, AJ Ramaker (4). Kegan Boland (LP), Luke Schmidt (4), Danyal Fothergill (4), Ryan Haukoos (6) and Carter Morphew, Kegan Bolland.

LOB–NU 8, LM 6. 2B–AJ Ramaker (LM), Logan Odegaard (NU). SAC–Hayden Helgeson (LM).