Moulton baseball (3-1) has started the season like a hot poker in the eye of their conference competition, crushing Clinton, 25-8, mauling Maroa 13-3, then walloping Warrensburg. 13-3.

The Rams not only beat the stuffin’ out of the A teams, but the Ram B teams also went undefeated in conference play last week, beating Clinton 21-8, Maroa 13-10, and Warrensburg, 6-2. The only bump in the road for the Rams was a non-conference tilt at St. Anthony. St. Anthony handed the Rams their only defeat this season, 6-2. However, the Rams bounced back with the back-to-back drubbings of Maroa and Warrensburg.

Coach Sam Mehl took the Moulton Rams to the state tournament last year in his first year as head coach and this year, instead of rebuilding, is just reloaded.

Lead-off man Spencer Shadwell is hitting 11-for-17 with 11 runs and 5 RBIs in their five A games. Lucas Duckett is hitting 7-of-13 with 8 runs and 6 RBIs. Luke McConnell is hitting 6-for-13 with 3 doubles, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. Drennian Martin is hitting 5-for-11 with a 2B, 7 runs and 4 RBIs. Hendryx is hitting .300 with a double 4 runs and 3 RBIs in A games. Shadwell, McConnell, Martin and Hendryx have hit safely in every game they have played. Zach Williams is hitting .333 with a run and 2 RBIs, Elliott Smithson is hitting 4-of-9 with 4 runs and 4 RBIs, and Foster is hitting .400 with 2 runs and an RBI.

Against Clinton, the Rams had ten different men hit. Against Maroa, the Rams had seven different men hit and ten different men reached base. Against Warrensburg, Shelby had eight different men hit safely. Even in the loss to St. Anthony, the Rams had six men hit safely and all nine reached base.

With all the run support the Rams are getting, it is providing cover for their pitching staff as they get up to speed. Lucas Duckett (7th grade) is 2-0 (Clinton, Warrensburg), allowing 6 runs in 8 and a 1/3 innings pitched on 7 hits, 7 walks, while ringing up 7. Luke McConnell got the other win (Maroa). McConnell started against Clinton, with no decision. McConnell has allowed 8 runs in 6 and 2/3 innings on 6 hits, 8 walks, while striking out 6. Brett Peifer took the one loss at St. Anthony, giving up 4 runs in 5 innings, allowing 7 hits and 3 walks, while K-ing 2. Drennian Martin came on in relief for 1 inning in that game allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk, while striking out 2.

The Rams added an excruciatingly long and ugly win at home on Monday over Altamont, 19-17 (Full results in Thursday print edition). They travel to Argenta for another conference game Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. They will then host non-conference Beecher City at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday and non-conference Okaw Valley on Saturday at 10 a.m.

8/17

A Game

St. Anthony 6, Moulton 2

Moulton 000 200 0—2-7-2

St. A 040 012 x—6-8-1

Ram stats: Shadwell 2-for-4, SB, RBI; Duckett 0-for-3, BB, RBI; McConnell 1-for-3, 2B, BB; Hendryx 1-for-4; Martin 1-for-3, sac; Smithson 1-for-3, sac, run; Z Williams 0-for-2; SB, BB; Foster 1-for-3, run; Peifer 0-for-2, BB, OBE. Pitching (L) Peifer (0-1) 5 IP, 4 runs (2 ER), 7 hits, 3 BBs, 2 K; Martin 1 IP, 2 runs, 3 hits, BB, 2 K.

B Game

St. Anthony 3, Moulton 3

Moulton 102—3-2

St. A 30x—3-3

Ram stats: Hudson 0-for-1, BB, SB, run; White 0-for-1, BB; Z. Williams 1-for-1, BB, run; Smithson 0-for-2; Williams C. 2 BBs, run; Coleman 0-for-2; Robinson 1-for-2; Peterson 0-for-2; Jent BB. Pitching- Robinson 2 IP, 3 runs, 3 Hits, 2 BB, 3 Ks.

8/18

A Game

Moulton 13, Maroa 3

Maroa 210 00—3-3-1

Moulton 360 04—13-11-0

Ram stats: Shadwell 2-for-3, BB, 2 SB, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Duckett 1-for-3, HBP, 2 runs; McConnell 2-for-3, BB, run, RBI; Martin 1-for-3, run; White BB; Hendryx 1-for-3, 2 runs, 2B, Sac, 2 RBI; Smithson 0-for-2, BB; Z. Williams 2-for-3, run, RBI; C. Williams 0-for-2, run, BB; Peifer 2-for-2, SB, 2 runs, 2 RBIs. Pitching (W) McConnell (1-0) 5 IP, 3 runs (2 ER), 3 hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks.

B Game

Moulton 13, Maroa 10

Maroa 032 05—10-4-2

Moulton 116 5x—13-16-2

Ram stats: Hudson 2-for-3, BB, SB, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; White 3-for-4, 2 RBIs; Martin 2-for-4, run, 2 RBIs; C. Williams 2-for-3, 3B, run, 2 RBIs; Foster 0-for-3, OBE, SB, run; Robinson 3-for-3, 2 2Bs, SB, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Coleman 2-for-3, 2 runs, RBI; Peterson 1-for-2, 2 runs, BB; Jent 1-for-3, OBE, run. Pitching (W) Shadwell 2 IP, 4 runs (0 ER), 1 hit, 4 BB, 2 Ks; (Starter) C. WIlliams 2 IP, 5 runs (2 ER), 3 hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks; Sherwood 1 IP, 1 run, 0 hits, 4 BBs, 1 K.

8/20

A Game

Moulton 13, Warrensburg 3

W-L 002 10—3-3-1

Moulton 400 54—13-15-0

Ram stats: Shadwell 3-for-4, 2 SB, 3 runs, RBI; Duckett 4-for-4, 3 runs, 3 RBI; McConnell 1-for-4, FC, 2B, 2 runs; Martin 2-for-3, 2B, BB, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Smithson 2-for-2, sac, BB, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Hudson run; Z. Williams 1-for-3; Coleman 0-for-1; C. Williams 1-for-2, 2B, BB, RBI;

White 1-for-2, BB, run, RBI; Peifer 0-for-2, sac. Pitching (W) Duckett (2-0) 5 IP, 3 runs, 3 hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks.

B Game

Moulton 6, Warrensburg 3

W-L 201—3-2

Moulton 24x—6-7

Ram stats: Hudson 2-for-2, 2B, 3B, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Hendryx 2-for-2, 2 run, 2 RBIs; Sherwood 1-for-2; 2B, RBI; Robinson 1-for-2, FC; Coleman 0-for-2, FC; Foster 0-for-1; Peterson 0-for-1; Jent BB, run; McConnell 1-for-1, run. Pitching (W) Sherwood 3 IP, 3 runs (2 ER), 2 hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks.