Monday night rains had the creeks flowing behind the left field fence at Hidden Valley field, and the outfield swamped as well.
Getting out of a second inning jam that had the makings of a big Patrick Henry inning, the Titans rolled to the easy 12-0 win over the Patriots in a game shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule.
It was the season-opening win for Hidden Valley and PH’s second loss in as many games after being blanked by Bassett 11-0.
The Titans scored in the bottom of the first after a Jack Moore triple set up the opening run and staked Hidden Valley to a 1-0 lead.
Patrick Henry missed a great opportunity in the top of the second after the Patriots loaded the bases with none out. A rare pitcher-to-catcher-to-first double play produced two outs, and when a strikeout followed, PH was left with the goose egg.
Hidden Valley loaded the bases in their half of the second before Nic Ratliff cleared them with a 3-run double. The Titans scored their fourth run of the inning moments later on a double steal with runners on first and third.
The Titans added four more in the third for a 9-0 lead, again executing one run on their second double-steal of the game.
Patrick Henry’s Austin Lowman got the Patriot’s only extra-base hit of the game in the top of the fourth. After Hidden Valley starter Ryan Lauria retired the first two PH batters on two pitches, Lowman drilled a deep shot to the right-center field wall for only the second Patriot hit of the afternoon.
Hidden Valley pushed the run differential over ten in the bottom of the fourth after Ratliff cleared the bases with with his second three-RBI hit. PH went in order in the fifth.
Ratliff finished with 3 hits and 7 RBIs, while Moore added three hits for Hidden Valley. Lauria picked up the win for the Titans.
