The Johnny Mac Thunder U-18 baseball team pounded out 17 runs on 16 hits in a 17-7 victory over the Meramec Valley Falcons on June 29.

“Our hitters were hitting line drives all over the field,” Johnny Mac head coach Sean Worrall told the Call. “After coming back from that wood-bat tournament in Fort Wayne (Ind.), the players really liked going back to metal.”

Johnny Mac starting pitcher Tony Mattera grabbed the win in his first start of the 2006 season. Mattera went 4 2⁄3 innings while giving up seven runs on seven hits.

Mattera also walked four batters and struck out four in the win over the Falcons.

“Tony looked good through the first four innings, and in the fifth, he started getting tired and gave up some runs,” Worrall said. “I thought that he pitched well and did everything we asked for him to do.”

Starting third baseman Tom Belgeri recorded a double and a triple against the Falcons. Those two hits resulted in two runs driven in and one run scored.

“Tom’s finally starting to get his swing back,” Worrall said. “He’s starting to hit the ball really well.”

Johnny Mac right fielder Kevin Mahler also had a solid evening at the plate with a single and a three-run homer to right center field.

“Kevin hit a rope to right center field that just sneaked over the fence,” Worrall said. “He hit the ball really hard.”

The Thunder are back in action today (Thursday) as they travel to Lake St. Louis for a game against the American National West Eagles.

Johnny Mac opened the season with a 5-3 loss to the Eagles, so it’s probably safe to say that the two teams will put on a good show.

“We know that they (American National) have very good pitching and a very solid defense,” Worrall said. “That just makes you want to get out there and beat them.”

Johnny Mac’s evening road game with the American National Eagles is scheduled for an 8 p.m. start.