MARION -- Mason Gooch took a perfect game into the fifth inning and a no-hitter into the sixth, but the Marion Junior High School baseball team still had to hang on for dear life in an 11-6 win over Herrin in Big Seven Conference play Tuesday.
Gooch struck out the first six batters he faced and had 10 punchouts going into the sixth. He was lifted after giving up his first hit and Herrin pounced over the next two frames.
But the Wildcats had more than enough offense.
Trevor Jackson had three hits, drove in two runs, stole two bases and scored four times from the leadoff spot.
Karsten Stotlar had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, while Kale Cameron had two hits and scored twice. Devyn Wright drove in two runs with a pair of groundouts and Gooch helped himself by scoring twice.
Marion plated three runs in the first inning, two in the second and fourth frames and added four in the sixth after Herrin got on the board.
The Wildcats are now 11-0 overall and 6-0 in Big Seven Conference games.
MJHS plays again Thursday at home against Carterville.
