In a game that pitted Millikan’s ace, Josh Frye, against Jordan’s top pitcher, Marcos Lara, most fans expected to see a lot of zeros up on the Blair Field scoreboard—there were, but there was also a big, bright “9” for Millikan at the top of the 1^st.  That was all they needed, and more, as they went on to win 17-0 to remain unbeaten in the Moore League, and grab sole possession of first by a full game after Lakewood’s upset loss to Poly.  They also extended an impressive streak, moving their scoreless innings tally to 35—through the first five games of league play, the Rams have scored 56 runs, and allowed zero, and Frye has established himself as one of the league’s most impressive pitchers (he finished with 11 strikeouts against Jordan).

“Inning by inning, I get more confident when I’m hitting my spots,” said Frye, who says his team defense behind him has spurred him on. 

But while Frye put together an excellent complete game, a one-hit shutout, it was maybe a little overkill.  The Panthers had 10+ fielding errors, and by the time Frye threw his first pitch he already had a nine-run lead behind him.  In the top of the first, the Rams had thirteen at-bats and, incredibly, scored all nine runs with two outs on the board.  Typifying the inning was Jonathan Singleton’s error inside the park home run, a triple that stretched into a bases-clearing inside homer when the Jordan center fielder lost his grip on the ball—that play produced the final three runs of the inning. 

Lara pitched fairly well for Jordan, but had no defense behind him, as the Panthers committed errors in nearly every imaginable way, dropping pop flies, booting grounders, and overthrowing bases. 

Jordan is on a bit of a slide, having lost their last two games 31-1.  “But,” coach Marc Prager correctly points out, “We’re still in the playoff race.”  Prager’s team will need to have a short memory to get over the tough losses and begin to move on—their next league game is against Compton, which could help.

The win gives Millikan a little more motivation heading into April 21^st’s match against Lakewood—it will be difficult to shut out the Lancers, but then, it would be difficult to get through the first five games that way as well.  “This is the most fun I’ve had coaching,” said Millikan coach Scott Glasser.  “They’ve all bought in to what we’re teaching.”  He praised his team’s experience, and said the Rams would like to get comfortable at the top of the standings box.  “We’re on top, and that’s where we want to stay.”