Rams score 21 runs in first inning to break Braves 22-0

The Scott City Rams beat the storm by compacting a week's worth of offense into a three-inning 22-0 win over Scott County Central on Thursday at Capaha Field.

The Rams are on a 3-0 start and played the last two games at the home of the Southeast Missouri State baseball team due to inclement weather. It was a familiar place for Scott City head coach Skylar Cobb, who pitched for the Redhawks from 2013-14, helping them win the 2014 OVC regular season championship.

"I've always loved coming back here," Cobb said. "I have a little bit of a connection here but I always liked playing here. It's neat for us, it's neat for the other team to play under the lights. We played here three times last year and now twice this year, so they should be pretty used to it. The turf's a little different. Last night was tough because it was wet turf, and that made the conditions a little tricky."

The game was a mathematical mess. The Rams scored 21 runs in the first inning alone and collected 10 hits and 13 walks throughout the game.

"The strikes we got, we hit hard," Cobb said. we were aggressive early on, and it was nice to get some guys in and get some guys some experience on the field."

Leadoff hitter Mark Panagos started the game by getting plunked and scored from the first base to the very next at-bat due to fielding miscues. He had only one at-bat during the game and it resulted in a three-run triple.

Luke Umfleet hit a double for his only at-bat and currently leads the Rams with six hits and five RBI.

Shortstop Kobe Watson also drove in three runs on an inside-the-park home run. The sophomore also scored two runs and stole two bases. He previously led the Rams in runs scored during their 11-8 win over Perryville on Wednesday.

"He's a sophomore but he plays like he's older," Cobb said. He's a baseball guy. That's few and far between these days. To have a guy who lives and breathes baseball as he has his whole life, if there's anybody, any younger guy that can be a leader on this team, it would be him."

Brayden Mashek pitched all three innings for the Rams, allowing only one hit while striking out six for the win.

"He's a really smart pitcher, and he's a guy we're hoping can make strides this year," Cobb said. "He got to pitch a little bit last year as a sophomore. He was up and down, but we're hoping he can be a reliable option for us this year."

The Rams look similar to last year's team, which won their district championship and finished the season in sectionals. Cobb said the Rams will lean on their seniors to push the team to new heights this season, especially Colin Blaylock, who batted .313 with an OPS of 1.161 last year and is 3-for-4 with three walks and five runs so far this season.

"We got Colin Blaylock in the middle of our lineup," Cobb said. "He'll be a college player next year. That's kind of a guy we're leaning on, especially at the plate. He hasn't got to pitch yet, but he's also one of our main guys on the bump. I don't know who our best player is, but he's the guy we lean on in the middle of that lineup, for his senior leadership."

Scott City hosts five of its next six games before playing nine of the remaining 13 games on the road. The Rams will host Farmington on Friday a 4:30 p.m.

"The bats had been hot early," Cobb said. "Pitching has been good defenses been a little shaky, but we're hoping if we can put all three of them together, we're hoping we can be dangerous."