MARS - Freeport manager Wayne Greiser knew it would make a big difference if his team had the lead.

He was proven correct for the second straight game.

Trying to stave off elimination in the Eagle County League baseball semifinals, Freeport used a pair of home runs by Bill Daugherty and squashed several Mars rallies in a 4-1 victory Monday at Marburger Field.

With the win Freeport, the No. 1 seed, evened the best-of-five series at two games apiece. Freeport (24-6) grabbed a 13-0 win over Mars in Game 3 Friday.

"We felt the key in the series was getting the lead and making Mars play from behind," said Greiser.

"The first couple of games in this series, we didn't do that, but the last two we did," Greiser added.

Mars (16-16) had only three hits for the second consecutive game. They stranded 10 runners and had at least two runners on base in each of the first six innings.

"If you asked me before the game if I would take giving up four runs, I would have," said Mars manager Mike Sheehy, who pitched 5

innings.

"We would have won and be playing in the championship. You've got to give (Freeport) credit. They were down 2-0 and now there's a Game 5. This has been one of the better series in the last few years," he added.

Daugherty homered with one out in the first to give Freeport a 1-0 lead.

Mars came right back to tie the game as Freeport starter Chris McCartney opened the game throwing 10 balls before getting a strike. He then hit Sheehy with a pitch to load the bases with no out.

Paul Westwood bounced into a fielder's choice to score Rob Ronk, but McCartney got Greg Reinhart to strike out and Ryan Salazar to fly out.

A two-out RBI single by Chris Shearer in the second inning and another Daugherty homer in the third gave Freeport a 3-1 lead.

In the fourth inning, Salazar and Ron Talik each walked to open the frame for Mars, but Craig Hasley struck out and Matt Sondej grounded into a double play to end the threat.

Mars also had two on and two out in the second and fifth innings, but couldn't score.

Freeport tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning when Josh Harbison lined an RBI double with one out, scoring Chris Shearer, who opened the inning with a single.

"With (Mars), we were worried with a 3-1 lead because, with one on, a home run and it's all tied," said Greiser. "It's a packed lineup and you'd expect them to get one break."

Mars' last serious threat came in the sixth inning, when Salazar led off with a single off Tim Buzzard. Two outs later, Sondej reached on an error to put runners at first and second.

Talik stole third before Buzzard could throw the pitch, but Ronk struck out to end the inning.

"We'll shrug it off. We know what our team can do. We just have to go out and do it, Sheehy said.

Freeport 111 001 0 - 4 9 2

Mars 100 000 0 - 1 3 1

WP:

Chris McCartney (4 IP) 6 strikeouts, 4 walks.

LP:

Mike Sheehy (5

IP) 5 strikeouts, 2 walks

Freeport (24-6):

Josh Harbison 1B, 2B, RBI; Bill Daugherty 2 HR, 2 RBI; Jon Schott 2-1B; Chris Shearer 2-1B, RBI, Greg Samson 1B

Mars (16-16):

Rob Ronk 1B; Mike Sheehy 1B; Ryan Salazar 1B; Paul West

Today:

Game 5-Mars @ Freeport (Swartz Field), 6 p.m.