By Patrick MacCoonRecord Sports EditorSlow and steady does not win the battle in Scott Butler’s book, but fast and aggressive on the basepaths does.Abiding by its coach’s philosophy, the Warrenton Senior Legion baseball team stole five bases and was assertive on the basepaths in crucial situations during a 6-3 home victory over Elsberry Monday.“On several occasions this season we have won games just because of our aggressive baserunning,” Butler said after his team extended its winning streak to five games. “When you have speed you can’t holster it, you have to utilize it.”A two-out error in the bottom of the sixth gave Post 122 the perfect chance to unleash its speed at the top of the lineup.After reaching base on a wild throw by Elsberry’s third baseman, Tyler Brittain stole second and then advanced to third as the ball trickled into the outfield from the throw down.Ben Stephens was then hit by a pitch, and after reaching first base, made a gutsy decision.Instead of taking his free base, the speedster forced a run-down situation for Elsberry as he ran halfway in between first and second base with Brittain posing as the tying run at third.After drawing a throw to second base, Brittain took off down the line for the plate. While the throw beat him there, the ball popped out of the catcher’s mitt while applying the tag to make for a 3-3 tie.“That’s a play as a fielder you know is a hard play to defend because if you go for that runner that is stranded in the middle you often will let that runner score at third base,” Stephens said about his decision to force a rundown. “We got lucky and our aggressiveness ended up panning out for us.”Brandon Moeller kept the two-out rally alive with a base hit and then stole second to set up Donovan Mozee. Despite jamming his thumb on his left hand the inning before on a play at third base, Mozee plated Stephens and Moeller with a two-run single down the left field line to give Warrenton a 5-3 lead.“We should have been out at the plate if the catcher caught it, but that’s what happens when you push the envelope,” Butler said. “You make them make plays and sometimes they make a mistake. You don’t score by being conservative.”With a lead to play with, Moeller finished off a strong starting pitching performance for Post 122 (6-2) as he needed just 21 pitches to make it through the seventh and eighth innings unscathed.Moeller allowed three runs in eight strong innings and struck out nine while allowing nine hits. His record on the summer improved to 2-1.“I felt really good today on the mound and it’s surprising because I haven’t pitched in a game since June 4,” Moeller said. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel coming out, but it all worked out.”Arik Rader’s line-drive single up the middle plated Warrenton’s final run in the bottom of the eighth.Rader along with Chris Garrett, James Dotson and Moeller all recorded multi-hit games. Garrett and Corey Eckenfels drove in the first two runs for the Post 122 lineup that had 13 hits.Dotson was superb behind the plate as he threw out three runners and also went 3-for-5 at the plate and scored a run.“He’s got his bat going now and defensively I think he’s the best catcher in the district,” Butler said. “He’s a perfectionist and a brick wall behind the plate.”Stephens finished the deal in the ninth as he struck out three of the four batters he faced.“This team has tons of talent,” he said. “We have a deep pitching staff and we are right where I want us to be.”

Tyler Brittain scores the tying run after Ben Stephens forces a run-down situation against Elsberry on Monday. Warrenton won its fifth straight with a 6-3 victory.

Patrick MacCoon photo.