AUBURN – The Mark Rogers traveling road show came to Pettengill Park Friday afternoon.

Rogers, the senior sensation from Mt. Ararat, threw five innings of one-hit ball, fanning nine and walking one, as the Eagles downed Edward Little, 14-0, in KVAC baseball action.

When Rogers pitches, it seems the world takes notice. As many as 20 scouts stood behind the backstop with enough radar guns to make the State Police jealous.

“I guess I got used (to all the attention) last summer,” said the Miami-bound hurler. “It’s a lot of fun. At first it could be a little intimidating but I just go out there and pitch and I don’t even see them there. It’s very flattering though.”

The Eagles got all the runs they needed in the first when Rogers was hit by a pitch and Chris Doherty followed with a single to left. A double by Andy Cantrell chased both runners home.

Mt. Ararat made it a 4-0 game with two more in the third. Both Doherty and Cantrell walked with the former being driven in by Todd Strong. Cantrell scored when Marshall Chick lined to left.

Rogers allowed just three baserunners in his outing. In the second, Brandon Elie led off with a solid single to left-center and Nick Taylor reached on an error. It was the most offense the Red Eddies would muster in the game as Rogers bore down to strike out the last two batters.

“It was pretty much right on what I had been doing all year,” said Rogers. “I pitched Monday so I came in on short rest for the first time this year. I felt pretty good.”

Rogers was efficient enough to extend his start to five innings.

“The weather has been messing up our pitching rotation, said Mt. Ararat coach Craig Rogers. “We debated about today or his regular day on Monday but he wanted to get back on it. I told him four innings but his pitch count was so low we went one more.”

“I think the kids got very excited because they knew who they had to face,” said Edward Little assistant coach Nick Ayotte. “Going into it they were saying they had nothing to lose. He’s expected to strike us out and he’s expected to overpower us so we are going to go up there and swing the bat and see what happens.”

It was a 4-0 game until the seventh when Mt. Ararat exploded for ten runs. Nine consecutive batters reached base to start the inning.

Matt Nadeau pitched six-plus innings for the Eddies allowing six hits.

pmullen@sunjournal.com

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