The RBHS baseball teamed opened their home season with a crooked number on the scoreboard and ended the game with one more crooked number to run rule crosstown foe Battle 11-1.
After a spring break road trip to Tennessee in which RBHS went 6-1 only dropping their final game to Bartlett, a 30 game winner last year, 2-0 after being shutout by Jonathan Bowlan a Memphis signee the Bruins got back to their scoring ways in the first inning against the Spartans.
The Bruins tagged Battle for four runs in the bottom of the first frame with senior catcher Eric Kuse capping off the inning with a bloop single to score two runs.
RBHS would tack on a run in each of the next four innings.
In the second senior shortstop Logan Twehous tripled before being driven in by senior first baseman Matt Widhalm.
In the third Kuse reached base with a walk before junior Curtis Holliday and senior Connor Brumfield both worked walks to load the bases. With the bases loaded junior Taten Lyngstad drew another walk to score a run and record an RBI. Battle barely avoided another big inning when Twehous struck out with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Junior starting pitcher Avery Jennings cruised through most of the game with the only blemish coming in the top of the fourth giving up a solo home run to left making the score 6-1.
The Bruins would answer right back in the bottom of the fourth. Jennings singled before stealing second followed by junior Cole Evans drawing a walk to put runners on first and second. A passed ball allowed both Evans and Jennings to move into scoring position and Kuse promptly delivered with a sacrifice fly to plate a run.
In the top of the fifth senior Cole Fritchey came on in relief of Jennings but not after Lyngstad made a over the shoulder diving catch in right field to support his starter.
In the Bruin half of the fifth, Brumfield walked and then stole second and third before being driven in by Twehous.
To end the game with the mercy rule, Evans drew a walk and then stole second, Holliday drew a walk and Fritchey drew a walk to load the bases. With the bases loaded Brumfield ripped a three RBI double to center scoring all three base runners effectively ending the game.
The Bruins are currently ranked No. 1 in the state by the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association and have been a offensive nightmare for teams thus far outscoring their opponents in the first seven games 66-13 including a 20-0 drubbing of Covington.
The Bruins are next in action March 31 at St. Dominic and on April 4 face off against fourth ranked Staley at Staley. The Bruin’s next home game is April 13 against Booneville.