A dynamite performance at the plate combined with some sensational defensive efforts enabled Gerard Farms to top Tidewater Energy 19-8 in championship game of the Rookie Division of the Cal Ripken League on Sunday.
Sunday’s victory enabled Gerard Farms to finish the year with a 14-1 record and a whole bunch of smiles.
“They were loving it,” Gerard Farms coach Michael Gerard said. “They were grinning ear-to-ear. At that age just to get a participation medal makes them happy, but they were able to get that and two trophies so they were grinning ear-to-ear.”
The players’ ability to put the ball in play put a smile on their coach’s face as Gerard Farms got quality performances from its entire lineup.
“Everybody hit the ball well,” Gerard said. “I didn’t have any strike outs the whole game.”
Matt Craig, Dawson Mitchell and Shawn Gerard each went 4-4 for Gerard Farms. Craig and Mitchell tallied four runs and three RBIs each, while Gerard ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run home run en route to finishing the contest with seven RBIs.
While the offense was on fire, the defense got the job done as well, making several heads up plays to keep the dangerous Tidewater Energy team at bay.
“Shawn Gerard and Luke Paul – our shortstop and second baseman – were just on the whole game. It was almost like they were reading each other’s minds,” Gerard said. “They were making awesome plays and getting the lead runner out. If you don’t get that lead runner out before you know it that guy gets to third and then he’s home.”
While Gerard was pleased with his team’s title, he was even happier that his players were able to learn more about the game and improve.
“It was awesome. My guys deserved it and they played hard all year, but winning aside, the main thing I wanted to see was improvement and they improved every game,” Gerard said. “All the team’s out there improved all year long. We may have won 14 games but at least half of those games came down to the last inning. We were just able to pull ahead and win. They just came together. All the other teams were very, very competitive, we were just able to pull it off.”

Gerard Farms 19
Tideland Energy 8

Hitting: G — Luke Brown: 2-4 (2R), Matt Craig 4-4 (4R, 3B, 3 RBI), Dawson Mitchell 4-4 (4R, 3 RBI) Shawn Gerard 4-4 (2B, 3B, 4R 7 RBI) Luke Paul 3-3 (2R, 2 RBI) Michael Alan Gerard 2-3 (1R, 2 RBI) Walker Heath 2-3 (1R, RBI) Gus Vansant 1-3 (RBI) David Lawrence Wallace 1-3 (2B), Dylan Woolard 1-3(1R).