Baseball blowout shepherds Rams to 10th loss

MAY 6, BLAIR FIELD-

Blair crushed Rockville High School by a score of 9-1 tonight. Everything was working for the Blazers, who improved their record to 9-7.

Sophomore pitcher Grant Staking improved his varsity record to 2-0, allowing no earned runs in six innings pitched. An appreciative Coach John Macdonald noted that Staking's performance came at a crucial time in the season. "We're in a stretch where we really needed it," he said. "[Staking] just kept pitching out of trouble."

The game began with a diving catch by junior shortstop Josh Richardson, setting the tone of Blair success. An error on the next play did not phase senior starter Nick Cope, who kept the Rams scoreless through his inning of work.

Senior third baseman Mike Coe had an excellent night at the plate, ripping four singles, scoring twice and driving in two runs. "[Coe] was really disciplined tonight, which is what you have to do with a slow pitcher," said Macdonald.

The only innings in which the Blazers did not post a run were the first and fourth. Despite fielding errors, the Blazers were able to hold Rockville to a single run, which Macdonald takes as a good sign. "I'm just hoping we can get hot going into the playoff stretch," he said. The playoffs begin this Friday, May 10.