On April 3, the Varsity Baseball team played a home game against the Littlestown Thunderbolts. After a slow start offensively, the Rams got going in the last two innings, and ended up winning 11-0 in five innings over the Thunderbolts.

The Rams’ lineup was: junior outfielder William “Max” Cooper, junior infielder Wyatt McCleary, senior pitcher Garrett Lowe, junior catcher Garrett Meckley, sophomore infielder Ryan Schubert, sophomore outfielder Jason Williams, junior infielder Alexander “A.J.” Sharp, junior infielder Collin Griffin, and sophomore outfielder Tyler Nagel.

“Even though we started out slow, we competed and scored runs when it counted,” head coach Blake Knecht said.

The score was still tied at 0-0 after the first inning of play. In the top of the second inning, however, Lowe walked the first two batters, and Knecht came out for a meeting on the mound.

Knecht said, “[I told him] to just relax and settle in, pound the zone and let your defense do the work.”

Next, in the bottom of the second inning, Schubert hit a solo home run with one out and gave the Rams a 1-0 lead. The second inning ended with the Rams leaving two runners on base and winning 1-0 over the Thunderbolts.

In the top of the third inning, Lowe kept Littlestown off the scoreboard. Then, in the bottom of the same inning, the Rams left one runner on base with the score still at 1-0 in the Rams’ favor.

With the Thunderbolts unable to get on the scoreboard for the fourth inning in a row, they had no idea what was coming for them in the bottom of the fourth from the Rams offense.

To start the bottom of the fourth, Schubert got on base after getting hit by a pitch. Then, Williams hit a single, and Schubert advanced to second base. Then, with one out, Griffin walked, loading the bases.

During the next at bat, Schubert came home on a wild pitch, and the other two base runners advance to second and third, 2-0 Rams extended their lead.

Nagel walked, loading the bases again. Cooper got on base thanks to a Thunderbolt error made in the field. As a result, the Rams scored two runs, giving the Rams a 4-0 lead.

Next, McCleary hit an RBI base hit, advancing the Rams lead to 5-0. And then, during Lowe’s at bat, McCleary advanced to second base on a wild pitch.

Lowe ended up getting a walk. Then, Meckley hit an RBI single, 6-0 Rams lead with one out and runners on first and second.

Furthermore, Schubert got on base loading the bases for the Rams with, still, just one out.

Next, Williams hit a base hit and advanced to second on an error. Two runners scored, and the Rams extended their lead to 8-0 over Littlestown with still, just one out.

However, the Rams would not score again in the bottom of the fourth inning, keeping the score 8-0.

“It is an entire team effort, and everyone in our line-up can drive in runs,” senior infielder Brian Romig said.

Even though the Thunderbolts had two base runners in the beginning of the inning, some good work on the mound and even better fielding kept the shutout bid. The Rams had an 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning.

To start the bottom of the fifth inning, Nagel got hit by a pitch. Then, Cooper hit a double and Nagel came home to make the Rams’ lead 9-0.

Next, McCleary grounded out and Cooper advanced to third base. Lowe then hit a two-run home run to give the Rams the mercy rule win over Littlestown 11-0.

“Our bats were incredible, and we always have confidence we can get runs across at any point in the game,” senior first baseman Timothy “T.J.” Grimsley said.

Schubert’s only hit was a home run, but he also got on base with a walk and a hit by pitch. Lowe also had a home run, and two walks.

On the mound, Lowe had nine strikeouts.