Lafayette doubles up at Darlington

The Lafayette Ramblers traveled to Rome in search of a victory on Saturday and found two instead.

The offense bludgeoned Trion for 17 runs in the opener, before the pitching staff blanked host Darlington to complete the sweep.

LAFAYETTE 17, TRION 2

The Ramblers broke the game open with seven runs in the top of the fifth inning, and then made sure of the outcome by adding eight more in the top of the seventh.

Zain Smith was 2 for 2 with a triple, two walks, two runs scored and three RBIS. James Wathen went 2 for 5 with an RBI, while Skylar Cepeda and Case Davis each had a double and two RBIS.

Freshman Hunter Jefferies had three RBIS, while Jathan Harding, Nick Adams, Kendall Culbreth and Ross Martin each drove in one run.

Adams got the win after allowing just one earned run on three hits in five innings. He walked six batters and struck out three. Cody Davis gave up an unearned run in two innings of relief with one strikeout.

LAFAYETTE 2, DARLINGTON 0

Culbreth and reliever Nick Radtke combined to allow just two hits to the Tigers in the Ramblers’ second game of the day.

Lafayette’s runs came late. Case Davis scored on a two-out single by Cepeda in the top of the sixth, and the Ramblers loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh before Wathen came through with an RBIsingle. Harding had a big two-out double as part of the rally.

Culbreth pitched six strong innings, allowing two hits and three walks with four strikeouts as he picked up the win. Radtke walked one batter and struck out one in a one- inning save. Lafayette ended the game by turning a 4-6-3 double play in the bottom of the seventh.

Smith and Martin had the other hits for Lafayette (4-7), who will host Coahulla Creek in the Region 6-AAA opener on March 15.