The stars came out early threatening to post big games Thursday afternoon as Hamilton and Perry battled for the second time in a week in 6A Premier Region play.

Hamilton senior first baseman Nick Brueser blasted a long, two-run homer i(6th of the year) in the top of the first. Then Perry senior shortstop Trevor Hauver responded with a tape-measure shot in the bottom of the inning - his third. From there it was the unfamiliar who decided the outcome.

Matt Brown laced a three-run triple iwith two outs in the bottom of the third inning that proved decisive as Perry came from behind for the second time and hung on to edge Hamilton, 5-4, at Perry High School. 

Perry (9-8 overall, 5-3 power-ranking games), which lost to Hamilton, 4-1, in a region contest last week, continued its rise after a slow start to the season. The Pumas have won eight of their last 11 games, including a runner-up finish in the Boras Classic 10 days ago.

Brown's sharply struck triiple was the key hit of the game, but in the top of the inning it was the beginning of a four-inning relief stint from junior Colton Gates that equally aided Perry's cause.

"He's pitched like that a lot lately," Perry coach Damien Tippett said of Gates. "He's done a great job. Matt had an incredible summer. He opened some eyes coming up from the JV. He's starting to show us the Matty Brown we saw over the summer."

Gates had a couple rocky outings the first week of the season, but has allowed one earned run in his last 16 innings. -- all in relief.

Hamilton (9-4-1, 4-4-1 prg) led for the final time, 3-2, after Dustin Bermudez's RBI single in the second. Perry starter Ty Pohlman left after giving up a leadoff single in the third as Tippett felt his senior was having trouble with mechanics. Gates took over and pitched to one hitter over the minimum in his appearance. He allowed one hit and one walk. The hit was erased on a double-play grounder that ended his day in the sixth. 

Hamilton coach Mike Woods also made an early pitching change, replacing starter Don Hamel with one out in the bottom of the third and one out. Hamel got himself into trouble by hitting a batter and walking two before his departure. Brown made Hamilton pay for the free passes with his hit into the right-field corner off reliever Bermudez.

"That's been our story lately," Woods said. "We can't get a big hit and our oppponents are getting them. Today it was the triple. Last week against Corona it was a bases-loaded double."

Hamilton threatened in the seventh after being quieted by Gates. Closer Buddy Brownlee struck out the first batter and a bloop single by Britt Grahman followed. Bermudez was next and reached on an error putting runners at first and second. Brownlee then fanned leadoff hitter Brayden Merritt to ease Perry fans' concerns.

A couple of balk by Brownlee, however, with Michael Brueser at bat scored a run and put the tying run at third. Brownlee finished getting the final out on a grounder to second.