On a blustery day at Morton Ranch, the Bulldogs took awhile to get going, but once they did, they rolled to a 14-4 victory over the host Mavericks, and finished the Katy Tournament with a 3-2 record.

The Bulldog offense could only muster 3 singles and a hit batter in the early going, coming up empty in the first four innings. Bulldog Starting Pitcher Taylor Rammrath, though, was equally up to the task, cruising through 3 innings before running into some trouble in the bottom of the fourth. A lead-off walk, a single, and a one out walk loaded the bases for the Mavericks. After a shallow fly to center for the second out, The Mavs’ left fielder laced a single to left to score one run, but a strike from LF Blake Doerr to C Matt Hills at the plate nailed the trailing runner for the third out of the inning.

That play pumped up the ‘Dogs, because they answered with a 5-spot in the top of the fifth. 3B Luke Mulcahey and 1B Drew Miller got things going with back-to-back singles to start the inning. After Miller was forced at second on SS Barrett Barnes’ fielder’s choice, CF Daniel Rockett launched a double to left field that scored Mulcahey and Barnes. 2B Ryan Dalton followed with a run-scoring single, and he came around to score on LF Blake Doerr’s sinking line drive that eluded the center fielder for a triple. DH Schweiger the brought Doerr home with a deep sacrifice fly to right.

The Bulldog bats stayed hot in the sixth, as they put up another 5-spot. Pinch hitter Austen Smith started the run parade by legging out a one-out infield single. Not done showing his speed, Smith stole second and alertly went to third when the throw went into center, then came home when the pitcher balked before the next pitch. Miller kept things going by working a full count walk, sped around to third on Barnes’ double to left, and scored on Rockett’s single to left. Back-to-back two-out walks to Doerr and Schweiger brought in Barnes, and Rockett and Doerr both scored when PH Eric Hughes dropped a pop single just inside the foul line in left, making the score 10-1.

The Mavericks answered with 3 runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth against RP Eric Schweiger, but by that time, the Bulldogs had the game out of reach. Just to make sure, though, the Bulldogs tacked on 4 more runs in the top of the seventh, all with two outs. A triple by Barnes, walks to Rockett and Dalton, a run-scoring single by Doerr, and a wind-blown RBI double by Schweiger capped the scoring. RP Luke Mulcahey, who came in to finish the sixth, recorded the final three outs in the seventh to end the game.

Next up for the Bulldogs: the Ewell Jackson Tournament, starting Thursday afternoon, 4:30, at Delmar Stadium against the Lutheran North Lions.

Bulldog Offensive Highlights:

· 15 hits for the Bulldogs, the current high-water mark for the season: a double and triple for SS Barrett Barnes; a single and triple for LF Blake Doerr; a single and a double for both CF Daniel Rockett and DH/RP Eric Schweiger; and a single each for 2B Ryan Dalton, RF Tony Gigliotti, C Matt Hills, 3B Luke Mulcahey, 1B Drew Miller, PH Austen Smith, and PH/RF Eric Hughes.

· 12 RBIs on the game: 3 each for Rockett, Doerr, and Schweiger; 2 for Hughes; 1 for Dalton.

Bulldog Pitching Highlights:

· Taylor Rammrath (1-0), 4 innings, 2 K’s, 2 BB’s, 3 hits, 1 earned run.

· Eric Schweiger, 1.2 innings, 1 BB, 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs.

· Luke Mulcahey, 1.1 innings, 1 K, 1 hit batter, 0 hits, 0 runs.

Bulldog Defensive Highlights:

· Three stellar plays in the third inning – a scoop and throw of a slow roller for the 6-3 groundout, Barnes to Miller; a 5-3 groundout, Mulcahey to Miller, who went vertical for the catch while toeing the bag; and a running catch in right center field by Rockett of a well-hit line drive.

· LF Doerr to C Hills for a play at the plate to end the fourth.

· A 7-6-5 putout in the sixth on a double in the gap to catch the runner going first to third, Doerr to Barnes to Mulcahey.

· A wind-blown fly ball headed to center ends up in RF Eric Hughes’ glove in shallow right for the final out of the game.

Winning Pitcher: Taylor Rammrath (1-0)

Losing Pitcher: Garrett Hampton

Extra Base Hits, FBA: 3B Barnes, 3B Doerr, 2B Rockett, 2B Schweiger

Extra Base Hits, MR: 2B Loredo