CALLERY — A 13-run fifth inning, fueled by eight hits allowed Mars to defeat the Sliders, 16-6, in Game 2 of the semifinal round of the Eagle County League playoffs Friday night at Callery Field.

Mars takes a 2-0 lead in this best-of-five series.

“We've came back a lot and we mainly didn't get out to the start we wanted,” Mars player/manager Brandon Malone said. “There were some errors over at third base, but we eventually came through with 13 runs in the fifth. You don't expect that, but it definitely helped.”

Rob Fester got the win on the mound for Mars with 10 strikeouts and three walks through six innings.

“Rob (Fester) was probably pitching here before I got out of high school,” Malone said with a laugh. “He ran this team before me and when he asked for the ball we gave it to him and you expect him to pitch a complete game even though it got dicey in the beginning.”

On just the second pitch of the game, Mars drew first blood off a solo home run from Scott Ventura, but the Sliders answered back in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 1-1.

The Sliders then added four runs in the bottom of the fourth, and one in the third to take a 6-1 lead heading into the fourth.

“We have a strong team, we knew that coming in,” Sliders player/manager Dylan Stewart said. “We put the ball in play like we needed to, battled with these guys. Just a few critical errors in the fourth and fifth innings, but we'll be back on Monday ready to play.”

After Mars added a lone run in the fourth, disaster struck for the Sliders as Mars put up 13 runs in the top half of the fifth to take a monster 15-6 lead.

“We were a little short on guys today, so everyone today knew they were playing the whole time,” Malone said. “We expect to win every time we play, just took us a little longer to get that comfortable lead.”

Mars' comfortable lead was good enough, even as it added one more run in the top of the sixth to help secure the 10-run victory at Callery.

In total Mars put up 20 hits, while the Sliders collected 11 themselves.

“The bats got going a little better today,” Stewart said. “We had consistent pitching that kept us in. We have hitters on this team, it's just a matter of time before they get a hold of one.”

Noah Hansen lead the way for the way for the Sliders with two singles and a double, while Brian Slavicek had three singles and a double for Mars.

“It's the same thing everyday,” Stewart said. “Treat it as an 0-0 game and go in, do what we need to do and battle like we usually do.”

Mars will have a chance to close the series on Monday with a win in Game 3 starting at 6 p.m. at Callery Field.

Mars 100 1 13 1 x — 16 20 2

Sliders 141 000 x — 6 11 2

W: Rob Fester 6IP (10K, 3BB). L: Brandon Kline 1IP (0K, 3BB).

Mars: Brian Slavicek 3-1B, 2B, Dan Penberthy 1B, 2B, Josh Sluggo 3-1B

Sliders: Noah Hansen 2-1B, 2B, Dylan Stewart 2-1B, Jamie Switalski 1B, 2B

Monday: Sliders at Mars starting at 6 p.m. at Callery Field.

Cranberry Township 5, Captains 2

Cranberry Township evened its Eagle County League baseball semifinal series with the Captains at one game apiece with a 5-2 win Friday night at North Boundary Park.

Joe Nagel and Justin Orlowski combined to allow just one earned run on seven hits with nine combined strikeouts and no walks. Nagel worked the first four innings before leaving the game with an injury.

Cranberry took control of the game with Nash Matson's 3-run triple in the bottom of the second. Jeremy Iellimo added three base hits and a run scored and Brandon Pouch singled, doubled and drove in a run.

Hunter Alexander doubled in a run for the Captains.

Game 3 of the best-of-5 series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at North Boundary.