Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Del Norte starting pitcher Preston Daniels delivers a pitch at St. Bernard’s on Tuesday afternoon.

By Ray Hamill — The Del Norte Warriors scored three runs in the top of the third inning and made it count in a 3-0 win at St. Bernard’s in non-league baseball on Tuesday afternoon.

Three Del Norte pitchers combined to throw a one-hitter and their defense played well behind them, as the Warriors won their third straight to improve to 3-1 on the season.

“The big thing for us today is our pitching staff pitched really well,” head coach Brandon Coborn said. “We played good defense behind them and our staff did their job.”

Sophomore Preston Daniels impressed in his first start of the season after previously being used in a relief role, throwing four innings for the win.

Daniels allowed just one hit to Michael Manzi, while striking out three and walking no one.

William Bommelyn threw two hitless innings in relief, while striking out two and walking three, before Cole Blackburn took the hill in the seventh and got the save.

Blackburn struck out two and allowed no hits and no walks.

The visitors scored all three of their runs in the third.

Senior shortstop Ethan Thomas got the party started with an RBI single to score Bommelyn, before Brody Mattz made it 2-0 on an RBI double, scoring Thomas after he stole his way to third with some aggressive base running.

Blackburn made it 3-0 moments later when he singled to bring home Mattz.

The ever-dangerous Thomas, who has impressed early in the season, led the way at the plate and finished 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, while Bommelyn was 1-for-4 with two stolen bases in the leadoff spot.

Blackburn also stole a pair of bases.

Senior catcher Cooper Maxwell also continued to impress and helped set the tone for his teammates and his pitchers.

“Maxwell’s doing a great job for us behind the dish,” Coborn said. “He’s come so far. He was the quarterback of the football team and he’s becoming our quarterback on the baseball field. It’s just exciting to see.”

Coborn also paid tribute to a young St. Bernard’s team that features multiple starting freshmen.

“It was a pleasure going down to play St. Bernard’s,” he said. “I’ve got the utmost respect for coach (Matt) Tomlin and his program. They have a solid foundation.”

The SB pitchers also impressed, with starter Tyler Dimmick and relievers Brayden Luna, Tyler Hinrichs and Manzi combining to hold the senior-heavy Del Norte lineup to just five hits.

Dimmick threw 2.2 innings and suffered his first loss of the season after posting three straight wins.

Unfortunately, the St. Bernard’s defense made some costly routine mistakes behind the pitchers.

“We dropped three fly balls and missed one routine ground ball, and that was the difference in the game,” Tomlin said. “Our pitchers threw outstanding but we were not ready defensively.”

With the loss, the Crusaders dropped to 4-4 on the season.

Next up, Del Norte will host Gold Beach on Wednesday afternoon, while the Crusaders are scheduled to play a league doubleheader at South Fork on Saturday.