Thomas Jefferson’s lanky first baseman led off the top of the third by depositing one of Painter’s offerings over the right field fence for a solo homer, but Painter regrouped and held Jefferson scoreless for the rest of the inning, to keep Polk ahead, 8-1.

It was three up, three down for Polk in the home third, but two of those outs came on line drives, one of those put away by Jefferson’s talented left fielder who showed several times that his first-inning miscue on the wind-blown fly was probably a fluke.

Painter hurled his best inning in the fourth, when he fanned all three batters.

Polk added a run in the fourth. Martin was safe at first on an infield dribbler. Brady walloped a liner to center, but it was just a loud out. With Martin running, Turner bounced one to short, and was barely safe at first on a bang, bang play. It was first and third. Groves bounced a pitch to short, forcing Turner at second, but Martin scored to make it 9-1.

Jefferson added its final run in the top of the fifth, on a sacrifice fly to left.

Polk quickly got back its eight-run advantage in the home fifth. With runners on first and second Left-handed batting Dequan Gary pushed a beauty of a bunt up the third base line. It stayed fair, and died near the bag, giving Polk bases loaded. Philpott’s sacrifice fly to left ended the game’s scoring.

Were the Wolverines more aggressive at the plate Tuesday?

“I thought so,” answered Stott. “They put it (the ball) in play. I thought we swung the bats good. We were aggressive on the bases, and we pitched well.”