Rams top Raiders to close in on N-O lead

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Shane Gerhardt scores for the Raiders during this afternoon’s loss to Roy-Hart. The Rams catcher is Noah Hardy.

Defending champion Roy-Hart closed in on gaining a share of the Niagara-Orleans League baseball lead by posting a 13-1 victory over Barker this afternoon at Gasport.

Improving to 4-1, the Rams now trail front-running Akron (5-1) by just a half game.

Walker Samanka delivers a pitch for Roy-Hart.

Leading 4-1, Roy-Hart broke the contest wide open by erupting for nine runs in the fifth inning highlighted by a two-run double by Charlie Bruning and a two-run single by Charlie Brigham. Jake Bruning also had a pair of singles and an RBI in the marathon frame as two bases loaded walks, an error and a fielders choice play off the bat of winning pitcher Walker Samanka plated the other tallies.

Earlier, the Rams scored twice in the third inning on a bases loaded walk and an error and twice in the fourth in the fourth on a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice by Al Xapsos.

Evan Ecker singled in Barker’s run in the fifth frame.

Samanaka pitched the first five innings for the Rams allowing 4 hits and striking out 9. Xapsos hurled the final two innings allowing 1 hit with 4 strikeouts.

Barker, which slips to 0-7, next faces Albion on Friday at Genesee Community College while Roy-Hart will host Newfane. Akron will host Medina in the other game.

Wilson 13, Newfane 6

Ian Evans had 3 hits and winning pitcher John Bender 2 to lead Wilson (2-1) to a 13-6 win over rival Newfane (1-5).

Lyndonville 13, Byron-Bergen 6

Zach Johnson allowed only 1 hit and struck out 13 in 6 innings of work on the mound to help Lyndonville post a 13-6 Genesee Region League win over Byron-Bergen and improve to 4-2.

Oskar Heinsler and Bryce Seddon both had a pair of hits for the Tigers.

Roy-Hart’s Charlie Bruning bangs out an RBI double. The Barker catcher is Preston Harris.