BUTLER TWP — It didn’t take long for Mars II to regain the form that earned it the No. 1 seed in the Eagle County League baseball playoffs.

The team had lost to upstart Zelienople 3-2 in the second game of the best-of-five semifinal series on Monday.

Tuesday at Highfield Park, Mars II retaliated by scoring six runs on six hits in the first inning of an 18-6, five-inning decision.

The result puts Mars II back in the driver’s seat with a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 will be played at 6 p.m. today at Zelienople Community Park.

Mars II roughed up Zelie starting pitcher Scott Lumley, tallying four extra-base hits in the first frame. Kevin Vangheluwe and Darren Blakley both doubled in one run and Corey Wheeler’s triple pushed across another. Two errors in the inning added gas to the fire.

“I know our guys were frustrated after yesterday’s game, but I fully expected us to come out today and play well,” said Mars II manager Eric King.

Mars II starting pitcher James Connelly pitched two scoreless innings to start the game, but was then pulled in favor of Mike Guarascio and Zelie used the opportunity to briefly get back in the game.

Singles from Lumley and Noah Medich were sandwiched around a walk to Adam Schaffner to load the bases. With one out, Brandon Durbin laced a two-run double. Tad Forsythe drove in a third run with a sacrifice fly and Pat Zehnder made it 7-4 with a run-scoring base hit.

“My strategy behind pulling him (Connelly) was we were up 7-0 and he’s one of our top three pitchers,” said King. “I was trying to preserve his arm, though I got a little nervous when Zelie scored some runs there. But Mike is a strike machine. Every time he comes in, he throws strikes and that’s all I asked him to do today.”

Mars II erased Zelie’s momentum with a three-run bottom of the third. Dustin Lalle had a two-run single and Vangheluwe drove in a tally with a single to push the edge to 10-4.

“We mixed up the lineup a bit and our focus was a lot better today,” King said. “I’m happy with how we played.”

Lumley did not survive the fourth inning as Isaac Allmann was brought in with one out. The reliever allowed five runs on six hits in his 2/3 inning of work.

Tim Geibel, Blakley and Ryan Leonberg each had three hits for Mars II (26-7). Blakley also scored three runs and drove in three.

Noah Medich singled three times for Zelie (10-26), Durbin had three RBI and Tad Forsythe hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning. But with Mars II’s avalanche of offense, Zelienople’s stats became just a footnote.

“We were OK on offense today,” said Zelie manager Stew Weimer. “Six runs is enough to win most games, but they hit the ball a lot better.”

Weimer’s team is now on the brink of elimination for the second series in a row.

“I think (today’s) will be a good, close game,” he said.

Zelienople 004 02x x — 6 8 2 Mars II 613 44x x — 18 21 0

W: Mike Guarascio 3 IP (2K, 1BB). L: Scott Lumley 3.1 IP (0K, 1BB).

Zelienople (10-26): Noah Medich 3-1B 2R, Brandon Durbin 2B R 3RBI, Tad Forsythe HR 2RBI, Pat Zehnder 1B RBI, Alex Dunaway 1B, Scott Lumley 1B, Adam Schaffner R, Isaac Allmann R

Mars II (26-7): Dustin Lalle 2-1B R 3RBI, Tim Geibel 3-1B 2R RBI, Kevin Vangheluwe 2-2B R 3RBI, Ryan Fennell 1B R RBI, Evan Oswald 1B 3B 2R, Corey Wheeler 3B 3R RBI, Eric King 1B 3B 3R 2RBI, Darren Blakley 2-1B 2B 3R 3RBI, Ryan Leonberg 3-1B 2R 2RBI, Ryan Denny 2-1B RBI

Today: Mars II vs. Zelienople, Game 4 at Zelienople Community Park, 6 p.m.