Rams baseball drops 8th straight game

A seventh-inning collapse led to the Maricopa High School baseball team’s eighth straight loss with a 6-5 defeat Monday to visiting Tucson Empire.

The Rams started the game hot with pitcher Matt Clark posting five strikeouts in the first two innings. Maricopa took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after scoring on a Ravens error.

However, a shaky third inning led to Empire putting up three runs. The Ravens were able to put their first three runners on base, and if not for a timely double play started by Rams shortstop Hector Padilla, the damage may have been worse for Maricopa.

The Rams answered back in the fourth, scoring three runs, all unearned. The score remained 4-3 until the seventh inning when Empire put up three more runs.

The Rams (5-13 overall, 1-7 in 3A South Region play) couldn’t answer in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a single run, and they dropped in 0-8 at home this season.

“It was a tough loss,” Rams coach Charles Barbee said.

Despite the disappointing record thus far, Barbee said the team has been making improvements and still has a chance to make the playoffs.

“We have six games left and we need to win out,” he said.

Photo by Michael K. Rich