Baseball: Glenbard East no-hits Larkin

Everything was clicking for Glenbard East Monday.

Three pitchers combined on a no-hitter and the offense pounded out 14 hits as the Rams downed Larkin, 12-0, in Upstate Eight action in Elgin.

Rams starter Dan Alejandro walked Larkin leadoff man Jeremy Reuter, then retired the next 9 hitters. He gave way to Braden Branecki who struck out the side around an error. John Sebold finished it up with 3 more strikeouts.

"That's been one area that we've really been focusing on," said Glenbard East coach Joel Pelland. "It's kind of been our Achilles' heel all year is being in the strike zone, so it was nice to see the guys come out and pound the strike zone, be aggressive in the zone, let our defense make plays."

Offensively, leadoff man Ben Elias set the table with 4 hits. He scored twice and drove in two. Jason Cousinue, Jayden Hamilton and Eddie Vercruysse added 2 hits apiece for the Rams, who evened their season record at 9-9.

"I've got to let my teammates see pitches, let them see the strike zone that first time up and do anything I can to get on base," said Elias of his leadoff role. "That first at-bat of the game is always important, setting the tone for the rest of the team. If you start it out with a hit, more hits are going to follow. It's a domino effect."

The Rams led 5-0 after 3, then really broke things open with a 7-run fourth inning. Elias got it started by beating out an infield hit, his first of 2 in the inning. Joe Hamilton bashed a 3-run homer to left center, and Cousinue and Jayden Hamilton followed with doubles.

Sam Greetis's 2-run triple keyed a 3-run third inning that put the Rams in control.

Vercruysse turned in the defensive gem of the game in the first inning, laying out to snag Javier Cervantes' sinking liner in right field. He had no way of knowing he was saving a no-hitter on the Royals' first out of the game.

Alejandro was content to pitch to contact for the most part, recording just 2 strikeouts. Shortstop Joe Hamilton had assists on all 3 outs in the second inning.

Elias led off the game with a bloop to right field and scored the game's first run on Jayden Hamilton's single. Elias doubled in a run in the second before the Rams' offense exploded in the middle innings.