MONTROSE - If you like good pitching Montrose was the place to be Thursday afternoon as Dawson Sherman and Chris McGee treated fans to a gem dueling on the mound and keeping zero's on the board through five complete innings. 

The duo combined for 24 strikeouts, recoding a dozen apiece. McGee's control was on point as he didn't walk a batter, Sherman only walked three in his six innings of work.

McGee cruised through the first inning striking out the first two batters of the game, while working a perfect first.

Sherman matched him with a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the first, allowing one baserunner on a hit by pitch.

McGee allowed a two out single in the second, but picked the runner off to end the frame.

Montrose loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second, but Sherman danced out of trouble striking out the side.

McGee worked a perfect third inning on the mound, striking out a pair of Warriors.

Sherman again matched him with a couple strikeouts of his own to work around a two out single.

McGee hit his first jam in the top of the fourth, after striking out the first two batters in the frame the Warriors loaded the bases. However McGee would get the punch out for the final out to keep the game scoreless.

Sherman pitched around a one out single in the fourth, fanning two Meteors in the inning.

McGee worked his third perfect inning of the contest in the fifth, punching out a pair of Warriors in the process.

Montrose got a two out single in the home half of the fifth, but Braydon McMicken snared a line drive at first for the final out.

Elk Lake got their leadoff batter aboard for the first time, when McMicken singled to start the sixth. Brayden Miller sacrificed him into scoring position with McMicken going first to third on the play.

Alden Felker capitalized on the heads up base running, plating McMicken with a RBI groundout for the first run of the ball game.

Sherman allowed a pair of Meteors to reach base in the bottom of the sixth, but preserved the lead with a pair of strikeouts.

Sherman and Logan Ayotte started the top of the seventh off with back to back singles, with Sherman scoring on Ayotte's bunt single after an error.

The Warriors made a pair of outs on the base paths as McGee was able to keep the deficit at just two runs.

Noah Gesford relieved Sherman in the seventh and was greeted with a leadoff single by Adam Sorensen.

Gesford got a groudout for the first out of the inning, before Lukas Cokely drew a walk to get the tying run on base.

Another groundout would put the tying run in scoring position, then a wild pitch allowed Sorensen to score.

Courtesy runner Evan McComb advanced to third, putting the tying run just 90 feet away, but Gesford would get the save with a game ending pop out as the Warriors earned a well played 2-1 victory.

After the game Sherman had this to say about the win, "our bats weren't awake for the first five innings, McGee didn't make it easy, but we found a way to push across two runs late with situational hitting and either good or reckless base running that ended up working out."

When asked about his performance and what was working the senior responded, "slider was very good tonight and I was able to locate my fastball very well. Alden called a great game tonight, the only time I was unsure of what to throw he called a genius 1-2, two out change up with the bases loaded in the second to get a swing and miss."

Coach Rezykowski tipped his hat to both starting pitchers, "Dawson did an incredible job keeping us  in the game and pitching out of a few spots to try and give us some momentum. Give Cj McGee just as much credit, he pitched a heck of a game and had us off balance all night. We made a few plays down the stretch to execute and get two runs across."

Sherman got the win hurling 103 pitches over six innings, fanning 12 batters. He allowed four hits and three walks.

Gesford earned the save, allowing one run on one hit and a walk.

McGee was saddled with the tough luck loss, needing only 84 pitches to get through seven innings, including 12 strikeouts. He gave up two runs - one earned on six hits.

Ayotte had a pair of singles, while McMicken, Felker, Sherman and Isaiah Strohl each had a hit. Felker had the lone RBI, McMicken and Sherman each scored a run.

Sorensen, Cokely, McGee, Hudson Aukema and Chase Harman each had a single for the Meteors, with Sorensen scoring the only run.