LASKER – A huge first inning explosion helped propel Ridgecroft School to an 11-1 win over Northampton County in the consolation game of the Sgt. Will McLawhorn Memorial Scholarship Baseball Tournament here Tuesday.

Zeb Askew and Bryce Stevens were both 2-for-4 and Askew scored three runs. Stevens also got the start on the mound and gave up just one run on two hits. David Basnight tossed the final three innings of scoreless relief.

The Rams opened the scoring by jumping on Jaguars’ starter Elijah Holland early on, sending 13 batters to the plate. Stevens first drew a walk, stole second, and went to third on Basnight’s base-hit to left field. After Wyatt Whitley’s walk to load the bases, Askew singled to left scoring the first two runs.  One out later, Luther Glover delivered another Ram run. A Grayson Joyner base-on-balls re-loaded the sacks and the fourth walk of the inning, to Monte Bridgers, delivered another across the plate.  Stevens then batted for the second time in the inning and brought in two more runs for a 6-0 advantage after one inning of play.

Northampton scratched out a run in the top of the second when Shaheem Futrell doubled, stole third, and came home on Derek Day’s RBI base hit. Still, the Jags trailed 6-1.

The Rams added two more runs in the bottom of the frame, one unearned, for an 8-1 advantage.  Then they collected two more in the bottom of the third as Stevens got his second hit of the game, stole second, took third on a groundout, and stole home with Askew at bat.  Askew later singled and came home later on an errant pickoff throw.

It appeared the game might last the full seven innings, but the Rams got the fifth-inning game winner when Whitley singled, stole second, advanced to third on Askew’s groundout, and came home on a passed ball.

Askew and Stevens both drove in a pair while Joyner and Bridgers had the other RBI.  Both Stevens and Basnight had three strikeouts each on the mound.

Ridgecroft (6-3-1) returns to TIC league action against Hobgood on Monday (Apr 9), while Northampton (0-5) plays Weldon at home on Tuesday.