A few walks here, a few walks there and some timely hitting was a good recipe for success for the Miller 39ers American Legion baseball team.

Miller scored three runs in the first inning and tacked on three insurance runs late to secure a victory over the East Newton Rockets, 6-2, in the opening round of the American Legion District 15 Tournament in Anderson on a hot Saturday afternoon.

The victory advances Miller to a match-up with top-seeded Neosho today at 10:30 a.m. in the second round of the tournament. The loss sends East Newton to the loser’s bracket and a game scheduled for 1 p.m.

In the first inning the 39ers jump on East Newton starter Jake Simpson scored three runs, which provide all the offense the team needed. Jeremy Gulick led off with a walk and moved to third base on Tyler Abma’s single, to put runners on second and third base with no outs.

Seth Wiehe walked to load the bases and Wilson Cowherd then walked to force in a run. Josh Eutsler capped the scoring with a 2-run single.

East Newton countered with two runs in the top of the second inning to get the team back in the game. Cody Bunch singled and was safe at second base on a grounder hit by Blake Hill.

With two runners on, Mark Enslow laid down a bunt to move both runners in scoring position. Tyler Spencer then hit an RBI single. Simpson drove in a run with a fly ball, making it 3-2.

Miller (14-18) went up 5-2 in the bottom of the third inning thanks to hits and walks. Cowherd and Eutsler each had singles to right field to put two runners on. Garrett Hillman then drew a walk to load the bases. Adam Curl drew a walk to force in Cowherd, making it 4-2. With one-out, Abma drew a bases-loaded walk.

Curl got the final RBI of the game in the fourth inning when he drew his second bases-loaded walk, bringing home Cowherd.

East Newton had a few chances to score runs here and there, but never could come up with the big hit. In the top of the fourth inning, Spencer singled and moved to second when Simpson reached on a error with one out, but a pop fly and a fielder’s choice ended the scoring threat.

In the seventh inning, Clayton Miller reached on an error when a throw to first base went into the East Newton dugout, moving Miller to second base with two outs.

“Walks and errors helped them put several runs up,” said East Newton coach Seth Johnson. “We had lots of opportunities, as far as at-bats go. The kids have been working hard.

“Jake (Simpson) started and did a great job for us. Colby (Brown) came in and did a good job and kept them right where they were at. Tyler (Spencer) did a good job. We have got to get our offense going to win.”

Cowherd, a Mount Vernon High School product, threw eight innings for Miller to help guide the team to its sixth win in its last seven games.

“We got an outstanding job by our pitcher Cowherd,” said Miller coach Will Lune. “He threw eight solid innings and gave up only two runs and now we got Neosho tomorrow.”