Rams edge Wolverines in tournament play
LITTLE ROCK — Outscoring opponents by an average of seven runs per game in its previous nine wins, Lakeside found itself in a battle with Bentonville West Thursday night.
While the Rams were held five runs below their season average, a trio of pitchers picked up the slack on the mound.
Remy Bilodeau, Ryan Robinson and Ethan Bates combined to allow just two runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in seven innings as Lakeside (11-2) held on for a 3-2 win in the consolation bracket of the Central Arkansas Invitational tournament at Little Rock Christian Academy’s Warrior Field.
“It feels good because we won it and we did some good things to win the game,” Lakeside coach Leighton Hardin said. “Ethan did a good job of coming in to close it out, and that may be something he has to do from here on out. We just have to clean up some of the mistakes that led to cheap runs today.”
After Bilodeau retired the side in order to open the game, the Rams gained an early lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Bates singled and stole second base, and Zac Melugin followed with an RBI single to give Lakeside a 1-0 advantage.
Jason Gloecker and Maddox Thornton delivered consecutive singles for the Wolverines (6-4) in the top of the second, and Zach Trammell later drew a walk to load the bases.
Bilodeau worked his way out of the jam, retiring Jaron Jenkins and Seth Schonauver to keep the shutout in tact. Bilodeau pitched three innings for the Rams, allowing just two hits while walking one and striking out three.
Jesus Minjarez led off the bottom of the second with a walk and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Villas to stretch Lakeside’s lead to 2-0.
After hitting his first home run of the season in a 13-5 loss to Little Rock Catholic to open the tournament Thursday morning, Minjarez finished with one single, one double, one walk, one stolen base and two runs scored in three plate appearances against the Wolverines.
“You always feel good when the ball leaves the yard, and he was feeling good from earlier today,” said Hardin. “He’s been swinging the bat well as most of our guys have been.”
Bilodeau’s RBI double gave the Rams a 3-0 advantage at the end of the fourth, but Bentonville West capitalized on Lakeside’s mistakes to make things interesting in the top of the fifth.
Batting ninth in the order, Schonauver drew a leadoff walk before Hunter Mays singled and Will Jarrett walked to load the bases for the Wolverines with just one out.
Robinson induced a ground out that gave the Rams a chance to escape the inning unscathed, but a throwing error on an attempt to turn a double play allowed two runs to score as Bentonville West pulled within 3-2.
“The two runs they scored shouldn’t have ever happened,” Hardin said. “The ball leaves the infield one time, and they score two runs. We have to stop that. That’s going to start costing us in these one-run games.”
Robinson bounced back with a scoreless sixth inning to keep the Wolverines at bay, including a pickoff of Trammell at first base.
Lakeside came away empty-handed after stranding Minjarez on third base in the bottom of the sixth, but Bates retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to earn the save and secure the win for the Rams.
“We feel good with some of those guys on the mound,” said Hardin. “Ryan did a great job of keeping his composure in a tough spot and Ethan came in to shut the door. We’re doing some good things in tough situations, but we just have to make sure when things slow down, that we keep up our tempo and keep working the way we do.”
Bates reached base in each of his three plate appearances, finishing with one single, one walk and one stolen base. Robinson pitched three innings in relief, scattering two runs on three hits with three walks and one strikeout.
Thornton had two singles in three at-bats for Bentonville West.