On Friday the Joplin Eagles used a six-run sixth inning to break open a close game in a 10-1 win.

The Eagles scored three in the third in building a 4-1 lead before blowing things open with the big sixth.

Austin Butler started on the mound for Grove, giving up four runs (two earned) over five innings, allowing two walks and six hits while striking out three. Butler also went 2-for-2 at the plate. Trent Lyle went 2-for-3 for Grove.

Lyle and Butler each had two more hits in Saturday’s 6-5 loss to McAlester. The Buffaloes (7-5) got two in the bottom of the first then got four more in the second off Grove starter Ty Phillips.

Dalton Wood had the big blow for McAlester, hitting a three-run home run in the second.

Phillips settled down after the second, not allowing any more runs over the final four innings, giving up eight hits and a walk while striking out one for the game.

Butler had an RBI double in the first to score Brent Hall. Kyle Good later drove in Scottie Spicer with an RBI groundout to tie the game at two.

Grove would begin to chip away at the Buffalo lead in the fourth inning. Hall led off with a walk, followed by a Butler single after Spicer reached on a fielder’s choice. Good then drove in Spicer and Butler with a single to make the score 6-4.

Trent Lyle would score what would turn out to be Grove’s final run in the fifth inning. After leading off with a single, Lyle stole second and third and scored on a single by Cordale Barton to make it 6-5.

Grove would eventually load the bases in the fifth and put two more runners on in the seventh put couldn’t score again.

Lyle is now 17-for-17 in stolen base attempts this season.

Grove will host Jay on Monday and Vinita on Tuesday. Both games begin at 4:30 at the Grove Sports Complex