Pitcher Andrew Bryniarski struggled early in Fountain Hills’ baseball outing at Phoenix Scottsdale Christian on Monday (April 22).

The good thing for him when that happens is that he has the chance to make up for it with his bat.

Fountain Hills trailed 6-2 and was down 6-5 when the junior stepped to the plate with two outs in the sixth inning.

He ripped a two-run home run to left field, and the Eagles tacked on an insurance run in the seventh for an 8-6 victory in Division III play.

Bryniarski, a right-hander, threw 110 pitches in six innings and then gave way to reliever Luke Hotte.

Scottsdale Christian made it very interesting, loading the bases on a double by Daniel Clark and two hit batters by Hotte. But Hotte maintained his composure and battled back for a strikeout to end the game.

Fountain Hills, No. 3 in the Arizona Interscholastic Association power seedings entering Monday’s play, raised its record to 24-4. Scottsdale Christian, the No. 5 team, slipped to 14-11.

Monday’s game was the second time that Fountain Hills rallied to defeat Scottsdale Christian. In a game at Fountain Hills on April 9, Fountain Hills rallied from a 4-0 deficit for a 5-4 victory.

“Every time we play these guys, the games usually end up close like this,’’ said Fountain Hills coach Mike Briguglio.

Does the way that Fountain Hills was able to win these two mean more than if they were routs?

“Yes, I would say so, especially for high school kids,’’ Briguglio said. “It’s not like you’re playing 162 games (major leagues). Every game means a lot to these kids. To be behind a good team like we were and then come back does a lot for you mentally.’’

Briguglio stayed with Bryniarski into the sixth.

“I might have pulled him in the fifth, but that was maybe his easiest inning (two strikeouts and the third out when the batter tried to stretch a single into a double),’’ the coach said. “In the sixth, he was at 110 (pitches) and that was about the limit.’’

Scottsdale Christian had a 2-1 lead after the first inning and a 4-2 lead after the second, courtesy of a two-run single by Zach Scott. Clay Crookham made it 6-2 in the third with a two-run double.

Fountain Hills cut the lead to 6-5 in the fifth as Devin Foyle hit a leadoff home run and Paul Bryniarski and Ethan Fett added run-scoring hits.

In the sixth, Cory Kukkola reached base on an infield hit, a high chopper to third with one out, and Andrew Bryniarski slugged his homer with two outs.

“That’s just the way it goes sometimes,’’ Briguglio said. “Andrew hit the ball a thousand feet in his first three times (flyouts) with nothing to show for it, and then he hits this one out.’’