By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Dexter Bearcat baseball got off to a great start of the 2011 season with a smashing win Friday afternoon over the Doniphan Dons by a score of 23 to 2. The team is young this year and has several questions marks by position and on the pitchers mound. However, the ‘Cats were ready for their seasoning opener.

The Bearcats jumped on the Dons early in the first two innings by scoring 20 of their 22 runs. Overall, Dexter had over 14 hits in the contest with many of the players contributing. The Bearcats scored 9 runs in the first inning and 11 runs in the second inning to get a solid lead built up on the Dons. Chase Young and Bryn Hester were both strong at the plate for the Bearcats. Young went two-for-three with four runs scored and two RBI’s. Hester was two-for-two with three runs scored and an RBI. Josh Sifford, Alex Cliff and Daniel Fitts all had had RBI’s in the contest.

Junior Dalton Putnam was a scoring machine for the Bearcats and put up three runs on the day. Several of the younger players were able to see some action in the later innings of the contest. Cody Neldon and DJ Dowdy were both one-for-one at the pate and appear to be two very promising players.

Owen Flowers has worked extremely hard on the mound in the off-season and recorded his first win of the season. Flowers handled the first two innings while Zach Watson, Brad Potts and Josh Overall all collected some time on the mound.

“The pitchers did a good job for us once we got the lead,” head coach Brian Becker said. “The hard work of Owen paid off and he did a good job for us in the first two innings of the game.”

Becker liked the look of the team during its first outing of the spring, and felt it was a good start to the 2011 season.

“Overall about the game was a good start for us”, Becker added. “Any time you score 9 runs in 1st inning it’s a good thing and to be 1-0 is an important place to start our season. Hopefully we can build off it.”

The Bearcat baseball team will be in action again on Tuesday, March 22, in a game at Malden. Both the junior varsity and varsity squads will see action against the Green Wave, with the first game beginning at 4 p.m. The 'Cats season opening is slated for Wednesday, March 23, against Kennett. Both varsity and JV will take on the Kennett Indians, with the starting pitch for the first game scheduled for 4 p.m.

Junior Dalton Putnam waits for the signal to head for home during Friday afternoon's Bearcat season opening against Doniphan. Putnam scored three runs in Friday's game.

Photos submitted by Reader Shannon Putnam. Thanks, Shannon!