Burlington pulls away with five-run fourth to beat Union Grove 9-3

Burlington broke open a tie game with a five-run fourth inning Wednesday and handed Union Grove a 9-3 Southern Lakes Conference loss at Union Grove High School.

The decisive stretch came after the Broncos had battled back to even the score at 2 in the bottom of the third. Kevin Brau delivered a single to center field that helped Union Grove erase Burlington's early two-run edge, but the Demons answered immediately in the top of the fourth. Burlington scored five times on four hits in that inning to move in front 7-2, with Caliva's two-run double providing the biggest blow.

Burlington set the tone early in the first. Kerkhoff tripled to right field to bring in a run, and Dummer followed with an RBI single down the right-field line for a 2-0 lead. Union Grove stayed within striking distance and found a spark in the third, when Brau's hit to center helped the Broncos pull even and briefly shift momentum.

Jayden King took the loss for Union Grove after working three innings. He allowed five runs, four of them earned, on five hits while striking out three and walking one. Burlington starter Ruleford earned the win, giving up five hits and three runs, none earned, over four innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Union Grove got a productive day from the lower half of its order, with No. 8 hitter Schmitz going 2-for-3 to lead the Broncos in hits. Brau and Schmitz each drove in a run. Burlington finished with 10 hits overall, led by Kerkhoff's 4-for-4 performance and three RBIs from the middle of the lineup. Caliva added two hits in four at-bats as the Demons capitalized on their fourth-inning surge and stayed in control the rest of the way.