CARROLL, Iowa – An 8-0 Merchants lead after the first inning was too much for the Peak Prospects to overcome in a Memorial Day opener.

Outside of that first inning, Des Moines found seemingly every way they could to score. Bubba Thompson (SO, Clarke University) and Isaac Short (FR, Northwestern College) each had their first MINK League home runs en route to a team-wide 11-hit game.

But Carroll (1-0) out-hit Des Moines (0-1) 16-11 overall, aided in part by that 8-0 first-inning performance.

Anthony Watts (0-1) got the start after a productive freshman campaign at Creighton and pitched two-thirds of an inning before Southwestern Minnesota State freshman Mitchell Bouwmann entered in relief, striking out three.

Doc “Jeter” Fulbright IV threw 3.2 innings, giving up six hits and three runs (all unearned) and led the pitching staff with four strikeouts. Kyle Snyder closed the game in a full inning, striking out two batters.

In an afternoon in which Carroll victimized the first two Prospects pitchers with 14 earned runs, the Peak staff as a whole threw nine strikeouts in eight innings.

Offensively, Bubba Thompson and Carter Thomas (FR, Wayne State – NE) each went 2-5 at the plate. Abraham Arroyo (SO, William Penn) had the team’s first base hit of the season on a liner to left field. Diego Morales (FR, Bryant & Stratton – VA), a returner from last season, pinch-hit and reached the bases both times, scoring one run with a 1-2 hitting stat line.

Merchants starter Joe Scarborough got the win, throwing three and a third and striking out three batters while giving up three runs on two hits. At the plate he garnered three hits on five at-bats, while Michael Alt, one of the best MINK hitters last season, went 3-6 at the plate.

The Peak Prospects travel to Sedalia on Tuesday for a seven-inning doubleheader against the Bombers. First pitch at historic Liberty Park Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT, with the second game starting 30 minutes after the final pitch.