Baseball: Ruhlmann, Grayslake Central clean up against McHenry

The most startling announcement came following this varsity baseball game at Grayslake Central High School.

Rams senior Sam Ruhlmann, he of the Ulysses Grant/Abraham Lincoln beard, made it clear that after his good relief pitching on Saturday, he would go home and shave off his beard.

Ruhlmann worked out of a tough jam in the McHenry fifth and then helped the Rams scored 6 runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The low-scoring Rams (8-4) broke open a close game late, and their 9-3 win pinned just the fourth defeat on 11-game winner McHenry.

"I think we scored more runs today than we had in all of April,'' said Grayslake Central coach, Troy Whalen. "We had timely hits in that last inning. I'm not happy with our strikeouts but we picked the ball ball well."

McHenry scored 2 runs in the opening inning off of winner Justin Shepley.

The right-hander settled down from there and pitched shutout ball heading to

the fifth.

"I had a rough start,'' Shepley said. "I missed some on some of my locations and they got some bloop hits."

Ruhlmann's bloop hit began the comeback in the Rams' second. Second baseman Kyle Allen, had the first of his 3 hits. Ryan Mikes picked up an RBI single in the 3-run frame.

And then both teams' offenses went quiet as the Rams held tightly to the 3-2 lead. Ruhlmann came into the game with two runners on in the McHenry fifth.

"It helped to strike out that first batter,'' Ruhlmann said.

With runners on second and third, center fielder, Ben Fitzgerald recorded the final out to keep the lead at 3-2.

The sixth spelled disaster for the visitors, as the Rams batted around. Allen singled and doubled in same frame. McHenry made two fielding errors. Coby Moe drove in a pair of runs with a flare to right field. Fitzgerald drove in two more with another hit.

The Rams may have a key senior in Ruhlmann, but the bulk of this team is young. Shepley started this game with two freshmen on the left side of the infield. Both third baseman Moe and shortstop Kevin O'Brien are in their first year of high school.

With a comfortable 9-2 lead, Ruhlmann proceeded to mow down the Warriors in the seventh. He retired the first two hitters on bouncers to Allen at second before his control deserted him briefly.

"I made some bad pitches,'' Ruhlmann said.

McHenry threatened with two outs. Whalen had to reach for his oldest son, Brett, to close this game out. A strikeout did the trick, and the Rams had a nice win under their belt.