Led by an offensive explosion by Brandon Peyer, the Reedsburg Pirates hammered Pine Bluff 18-3 in HTL Sunday night league action at Pine Bluff.

The Pirates improved to 8-2 in Sunday league action as Peyer recorded a perfect 5x5 day at the plate with five hits and eight RBIs in the game, including three doubles as Reedsburg built a 3-2 advantage after an inning and went on to outscore the Bluffers 15-1 the rest of the game.

Pine Bluff got two off Pirate starter Steve Hedgepath as Hedgepath hit the lead off batter and then committed an error on the next batter. Cole Payne drew a two-out walk and Steve Holman followed with a two-out, two-RBI single. Payne would account for Pine Bluff's only other run of the game with an RBI double in the fifth inning.

The Pirates scored three times in the top of the first. Travis Van Zile led off with a single and James Corwith was hit by a pitch. Peyer then doubled scoring two, and Trevor Berndt's ground out to short gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead.

After the Bluffers closed the gap in the bottom half of the inning, Reedsburg scored three more runs in the top of the second on singles by Marcelino Alonso, Van Zile and Corwith, and Peyer doubled again to give the Pirates a 6-3 lead.

Paul Molitor then led off the third with a solo blast to give Reedsburg a 7-3 lead, and Hedgepath went to work, retiring the next seven hitters he faced. Reedsburg blew the game open with a nine-run fourth inning, sending 15 hitters to the plate. Corwith, Peyer and Kris Rosholt all singled to start the fourth, Trevor Berndt was hit by a pitch and Steve Considine walked. Paul Molitor followed with a single, Alonso drew a walk and Josh Krueger got an rbi the hard way when he was hit by a pitch.

Travis Van Zile then was hit and Corwith walked. Peyer doubled again for two more RBIs, and Rosholt grounded out to the pitcher scoring another run. Berndt and Considine both walked, but Paul Molitor ended the inning with a pop-up to the catcher to finally end the top of the fourth.

Reedsburg tacked on two more runs in the fifth when Peyer got his fifth hit of the game, a two-RBI single that scored Alonso and Van Zile. Hedgepath retired the first five hitters he faced, and Travis Van Zile came on to pitch the seventh, retiring the side in order for the 18-3 final.   

James Corwith added a 3x3 effort at the plate with four runs scored while Van Zile was 3x4 with four runs scored and Paul Molitor was 2x4 with a home run and Marcelino Alonso finished 2x2 with a pair of walks and three runs scored.

Up next for the Pirates will be a 1 p.m. game Saturday at home against Plain.

NBC Tournament

The Upper Midwest Regional qualifying tournament of the National Baseball Congress tournament will once again be held in Sauk City and Middleton, beginning July 10.

First round and quarter-final play will be played at Sauk City Athletic Field and Fireman's Park in Middleton on July 10 and 11, and semifinal games and the final will be played in Sauk City on July 18.

A full schedule, including participating teams and game times and locations, will be available at a later date.