And it couldn't have been a better time for the Warrenton Senior Legion baseball team. Govednik threw four shutout innings in his first start of the season and gave pitching-depleted Post 122 a much-needed outing in Monday's 9-3 victory over Union. With Post 122 playing its fourth game in as many days, Govednik was given the opportunity to be in front of home plate rather than behind. "I planned on coming out and throwing strikes and giving them everything," Govednik said. "I was working hard for the team. We needed somebody to come out and fill some innings." The right-hander made the transition with ease. Mixing and matching his fastball and knuckleball, Govednik pitched out of two bases-loaded jams and allowed just two hits. He exited following the fourth inning as his pitch count climbed higher. Govednik had struck out two, walked five and hit a batter. The final tally might not have been impressive, but gave the regulars of the rotation a night off. "I was just going for as many innings I could get, as much as they would let me throw," said Govednik, who walked three times in five at-bats. Staked to a 9-0 lead, first-year Senior Legion players Matt Duren and Nick Mack followed on the mound. Duren threw the next 3 1/3 innings and battled his way around six walks. Nick Mack came on and got the final two outs of the game. The three hurlers combined to strand 13 Union base runners, including nine in scoring position. Played in a slight drizzle for the majority of the night, the Ninth District contest held at East Central College was called following eight innings due to darkness. Having lost five of its past six coming in, Warrenton improved to 4-7 overall. "Fortunately we were deep," Manager Jerry Carlyle said. "We knew (Union) was not quite as good of a team. We felt Mike could fill some innings and Duren did a decent job too. It worked out well for us." Post 122 compiled nine hits in the win and continued to show signs of a lineup turning it around. Warrenton has scored seven or more runs in the last three games, a pleasant improvement after averaging less than two runs in the first eight contests. "Since the Central game, everybody is hitting the ball hard," Govednik said. "Sooner or later, those hits were going to start happening. We hit he ball really hard against St. Peters, Elsberry and now these guys. It's pretty much turned around now. If one person slacks, the other guy picks them up." Eric Burton was one of three players to have three hits. He also collected three RBIs. Greg Schuknecht and Nathan Utt both had a pair of singles, while Duren contributed three RBIs. Best of all, the defense was flawless, as replacement catcher Adam Ragsdale threw out two base stealers and another runner was gunned down at third by center fielder Zach Sanders. After plating a run in the first on a check swing single by Duren, Burton followed with a two-out up the middle to score Schuknecht. Post 122 then broke the game open when it batted around and scratched across four runs in the fifth. The first five batters reached, including Burton who lifted a fly ball down the right field line that dropped in and scored two. Burton, a year removed from high school, is starting to heat up. "It feels pretty good," he said. "A lot of struggles the first couple of games. I came in for an inning against Washington, popped one up, but I found the rhythm. Ever since then, I've been doing good." Warrenton added to its 6-0 lead in the fifth when Schuknecht tagged up on a fly ball hit to center by Duren. Two batters later, Nathan Utt hit a run-scoring line drive. Union finally got into the scoring act in the bottom of the seventh when four walks handed out by Duren led to its first run. Post 122 hopes its latest victory is the start to climb back to .500. Following a home game Wednesday, Warrenton travels to New Haven Friday for a 7 p.m. start and is back home Sunday versus Sullivan at 3 p.m. "You can see the attitudes this year and how much fun they are having," Carlyle said. "That is key. I think they are focused on that and they know where we are going. Hopefully we can get some arms rested and hit that point.