MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — Ararat defeated Lanesboro (Western Massachusetts) 7-3 Wednesday to remain alive in the New England Cal Ripken 12U All-Star Tournament.

Ararat is 3-1 and is scheduled to play Vermont today at 5 p.m.

Nick Merrill was the MVP of this one as he smacked a double and two singles with four RBIs. Michael Rogers had a single and double, Liam Huston a single and home run and Cam Grant two singles. Ryan Mello also doubled.

Grant (inning, strikeout), Hunter Lohr (three innings, four walks, three strikeouts) and Rogers (two innings, two walks, strikeout) took turns on the mound for Ararat.

Eli Osthmier doubled and homered for Lanesboro. Phil Guest went four innings with six walks and five strikeouts, and Russ Gates fanned three in two innings.

Ararat scored two runs in the second inning and three in the fourth to pull away.

Ararat opened play on Saturday.

On the mound, Grant tossed five solid innings with 12 strikeouts.

At the plate, Rogers slugged a grand-slam home run and picked up four RBIs, while Mello went deep and drove in two. Grant singled twice and picked up three RBIs.

Merrill and Cam Dunton each chipped in a single in the win.

The team from Massachusetts advanced in the winner’s bracket, pounding out 10 hits against three Ararat pitchers on Sunday.

Lohr, Merrill and Grant pitched for Ararat, combining on three walks and seven strikeouts.

Mello was the hitting star, going 3-for-3, including a double, scoring two runs and picking up an RBI. Huston was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a double, and Grant and Merrill each singled.

Ararat scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to stay alive against Oxford, Conn.

Rogers went 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run, double, two runs scored and two RBIs. Mello singled and doubled, Lohr had a pair of singles, and Huston and Cole Kelly each singled. Kaileb Hawkes picked up a key RBI and scored a run.

On the mound, Grant and Rogers combined on 15 strikeouts and eight hits.