Ellicott – You would think a team that went 14-4 in 2006 would garner at least a little respect.
The Ellicott Thunderhawks are just fine flying under the radar.
Coach Bill Picchi’s squad improved to 5-0 on Thursday with a 11-3 thrashing of visiting Colorado Springs Christian in a cross-division game in the Tri-Peaks League.
“I like staying under the radar,” said Picchi, whose team won the Rocky Ford Invitational last weekend. “We really don’t worry about what everybody else is doing, we just come out and play one game at a time.”
Thunderhawks senior starter Jeremy McNamara had every pitch in the book working against the Lions (4-1). He struck out 14 and didn’t allow a hit until Rocco Bachara’s two-out RBI single in the fourth inning.
“We’re only trying to make a name for Ellicott,” said McNamara, who threw 115 pitches in Saturday’s 6-4 victory over Rocky Ford. “It felt good, and you always seem to pitch better at home. We had a good crowd out today, and it just feels good to win.”
Ellicott got all the offense it needed in the bottom of the third inning. McNamara, Mike Fraser and Keith Carey each had RBI singles in the four-run frame.
The lanky Carey, who made a diving catch in foul territory to end the first inning, was the star on offense. He went 3-for-3, drove in five runs and hit a towering solo home run over the right-field fence in the fifth inning.
“They are a good ball club, there’s no doubt,” C.S. Christian coach Clark Herring said.
C.S. Christian 000 201 0 – 3 3 4
Ellicott 004 115 x – 11 7 1
C.S. Christian – B. Collura 2b 3-1-0-0, Herring cf 3-1-1-0, Clark ss 2-1-1-1, Greensides 1b 3-0-0-0, Bachara rf 3-0-1-2, McCormick p 2-0-0-0, Riehl p 1-0-0-0, Bush lf 2-0-0-0, Winters ph 1-0-0-0, C. Collura c 2-0-0-0, Cox cf 0-0-0-0, Sparks 3b 1-0-0-0, Holt ph-3b 1-0-0-0. Totals 24-3-3-3.
Ellicott – Prosser 3b 3-1-1-1, Shorette 1b 2-3-0-0, Doyle c 3-1-0-0, Peil cf 4-1-0-1, McNamara p 3-0-2-1, Steadman cr-lf 0-2-0-0, Fraser dh 3-1-1-2, Gustafson lf-rf 0-0-0-0, Carey rf-p 3-1-3-5, Sutton ss 3-0-0-0, Hynes 2b 3-1-0-0. Totals 27-11-7-10.
E – Clark 2, Sparks, Bachara; Carey. LOB – C.S. Christian 4; Ellicott 7. 2B – Herring; McNamara, Prosser. HR – Carey, solo in fifth. SAC – Sutton. SB – Bachara; Prosser, Shorette, Fraser, Carey.
Batteries – McCormick, Riehl (6) and C. Collura; McNamara, Carey (7) and Doyle. W – McNamara (3-0). L – McCormick (0-1). WP – McCormick; McNamara. PB – Doyle. Balk – Riehl.
