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River Valley took a 5-0 lead after two innings in their non-conference baseball opener with Mineral Point Tuesday but then the Pointers went to the bullpen.
The call went out to sophomore hurler Liam Stumpf who came in to author five and 2/3 scoreless innings while his teammates were scoring nine unanswered runs for 9-5 win.
Stumpf mowed down the Blackhawks with four hits over the 5 2/3 inning span. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.
Stumpf also figured into the offensive column with and rbi double in a three run fourth.
Stumpf took over for Grady Gorgen who had a rough time finding the strike zone. Gorgen walked five in 1 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs. The walks led to the runs as he only surrendered one hit.
River Valley took advantage of three straight walks to open the bottom of the first. Starting pitcher Trae Runyan then sent two runs home with an infield single with the second runner scoring because he never stopped. A passed ball made it 3-0.
The Hawks got treated to a pair of walks in the bottom of the second and both moved up on passed balls. Jack Meixelsperger plated one with a sacrifice fly and the score went to 5-0 on an rbi double by Zach Paulus.
Stumpf then entered the game and shut out the Hawks the rest of the way.
The Pointers broke the ice in the top of the third when Isaac Lindsey stroked an rbi single.
They picked up three more in the fourth on an rbi double by Uriah Ottoway, an rbi single by Dom McVay and a double that sent in McVay by Stumpf.
Ottoway had the hot back with a 3x3 day at the plate, a double and two rbis. Grant Bossert as 2x4 with an rbi and Stumpf 1x3 with an rbi.
The Hawks went through three pitchers.  Runyan started and went three innings, allowing three hits, an earned run while walking three and striking out five.
Will Jewell was saddled with the loss as he went two innings that aw eight runs score on five hits and two walks.
Paulus finished and recorded a pair of strikeouts and a walk.
River Valley coach Mitch Heinemeier was impressed with Stumpf's relief work.
"We got up early but we couldn't add to it against Stumpf," he said. "He just shut us down."
"But we battled," Heinemeier said. "And that was good to see."
"It was our walks and errors that came back to bite us."
The Hawks return to the field Monday when they host Division 4 power Pecatonica.