The Dartmouth High baseball team began its postseason run with a blowout win over Bristol-Plymouth in the first round of the Div. 2 South tournament on June 6.

The Indians’ final 20-3 score was the biggest postseason lead Head Coach Mike Frates could recall in his two-decade coaching career. It was also the first time the Indians took a postseason win via the mercy rule.

The Craftsmen seemed poised to play ball, with the team securing a run to open the game at the top of the first inning. Dartmouth was quick to respond with two runs at the bottom of the inning.

In the second inning, the Craftsmen took the lead 3-2, but Dartmouth matched that with six runs. After an uneventful third inning and no runs from the Craftsmen in the forth, the Indians brought 12 runs home in the bottom of the inning.

The Indians were declared the winner midway through the fifth inning under the MIAA’s mercy rule.

“[Jake] Cruz went out there and pitched instead of going out there and throwing, our offense bailed us out, and we played good defense,” Fratessaid of the win. “I’m very happy with all three aspects of the game. The kids did a great job.”

Although the opening game of the tournament went Dartmouth’s way big time, Frates said the next game - set for Monday against either Duxbury or Oliver Ames - won’t be so easy.

“That will be a point of emphasis tomorrow in practice,” Frates said. “We always talk about turning the page, tomorrow is tomorrow, this game is done.”

He also has some improvements eyed before next week.

“We still got to have a good approach at the plate, and defensively, we have to play defense,” Frates said.

The win brings the team’s record to 14-7 in what started out as a rockey season for the Indians. The team went 3-5 in its first set of games, but have won 11 of their last 13 games.

“We peaked at the right time, and we’ve stayed hot offensively,” Frates said.