Milroy's Dominic Dolan claps and looks toward the dugout after hitting a lead-off double on Milroy's first pitch of the game against Lakefield in the Region 10C Tournament opener at the Irish Yard Wednesday night. The Irish defeated the Horned Frogs 10-0. Below: Tyler Maeyaert throws a pitch in the first inning. Below: Tyler Patterson attempts to lay down a bunt.

MILROY — Opening up the postseason with a strong performance on both ends of the field, the No. 2 Milroy Irish defeated the No. 7 Lakefield Horned Frogs in seven innings 10-0 in the Region 10C Tournament Wednesday night, the first in a best-of-3 series.

“It’s always good coming out and getting a win right away, and it kind of sways momentum in our favor,” Tyler Maeyaert said. “We’ve got to go and beat them to take the series, but it’s always good to start off with a win.”

Maeyaert once again pitched a stellar shutout performance on the mound with nine strikeouts while allowing five hits through his six innings. He opened up the game with three straight strikeouts to set the defensive tone from the jump.

“It’s just about getting ahead, throwing strikes early in the count and then letting the defense work behind, and try to limit walks in the game. Andrew Wallen had a heck of a night at third base, he made a couple of clutch plays. Same with Dom [Dolan],” Maeyaert said. “The defense played really well behind me. So, just throwing strikes, filling it up, and let the defense work behind you.”

Returning the favor on the offensive end promptly, Milroy scored a pair of runs off three hits in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead. The Irish added another four in the fourth inning to extend its advantage and put Lakeview in a hole.

After Maeyaert’s trio of strikeouts in the top of the opening frame, Dominic Dolan took Milroy’s first pitch of the night and sent it to deep left field for a double to immediately spark the Irish’s offense, clapping and motioning toward the dugout upon reaching base.

Derek Smith followed that up with a single to advance Dolan to third. Tyler Peterson stepped up to the plate and hit a two-run RBI single to run in both Smith and Dolan to put Milroy up 2-0 before Lakefield finished up the inning.

“We’re very much a team that we feed off Dominic’s energy. So, when he sets the tone like that with a lead-off double in the first pitch, that really sets the energy for us,” Milroy manager Anthony Dolan said. “Along with Tyler striking out three guys in the first inning … That really gets us going for the game. ”

The Frogs got bases loaded in the third inning with two hits and a walk, yet Maeyaert fielded a short group ball just outside the mound for a force out to first baseman Tyler Peterson.

Milroy continued to keep bases loaded in the fourth inning to score its four runs, coming from Peterson, Wallen, Levi Maeyaert and Patterson.

Peterson, Wallen and Levi all scored with bases occupied off a walk, Anthony RBI single and another walk, respectively. Patterson, however, charged for home after tagging third off Tyler Maeyaert’s sacrifice fly to left center field. The runs extended the Irish’s lead to 6-0.

“I think we just had to be a little bit more patient, and let the ball travel a little bit more,” Anthony Dolan said. “Be more patient, find your pitch and let the ball travel.”

Craig Lasley went in as relief in the final inning, allowing no hits.

Milroy continued to chip away at Lakeview’s late pitching struggles with four more runs in the seventh, to end the game two innings early in mercy rule. With bases loaded, Trevor Smith hit an RBI single to score the game’s final run.

“We just got to be ourselves … We are a defense-oriented team,” Tyler Maeyaert said. “If we pitch well, play good defense and limit errors, the bats will come and we’ll get a win.”

Milroy finished the game with 11 hits and no errors, to Lakefield’s five hits and one error.

The Frogs and Irish met once over the regular season on June 8, to which Milroy also came away with a dominant 13-0 win in eight innings behind Smith’s complete-game shutout of 10 strikeouts, and doubles by three different Milroy batters.

Milroy (13-8) entered Region 10C after finishing first in the Gopher League standings with a 10-4 league record to earn the second seed, while Lakefield concluded the regular season 4-10 overall to finish fourth in the First Nite League.

Milroy will next look to close out the series and advance when they travel to Lakefield in Game 2 on Friday at 7:30 p.m. If the Frogs win, the winner-take-all game will be in Milroy on Sunday at 2 p.m.

“We’re going to definitely lean on pitching and defense,” Anthony Dolan said ahead of Friday’s matchup, noting that Milroy will be missing around four players from its roster. “Hopefully the bats give us some run support, and we’ll be alright.”