By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

A series of defensive lapses cost West St. John on Thursday, as the Rams fell to visiting district rival Ascension Catholic, 10-1.

WSJ (3-4, 2-1) committed six errors in the game, which helped Ascension Catholic build its lead from 1-0 after three innings to 6-1 after four innings.

“I told (WSJ starting pitcher Karl Herbert) after the game that he should sue us for non-support,” said West St. John Coach Lennix Madere. “We didn’t make routine plays behind him, and we didn’t get the hits when we needed to.

“If we make routine plays, the score would have been much closer.”

Herbert (3-3) pitched the complete game, and took the loss. He allowed two earned runs – the other eight were unearned.

“He kept the ball down,” Madere said. “We just didn’t make the plays.”

The win by Ascension Catholic (7-11, 3-0) places the Bulldogs alone in first place in District 9-1A.

Kenny Taylor led the Rams at the plate, going 2-for-3. Dray Joseph and Barry Hanson each got a hit as well. They comprised the Rams only four hits of the day.

Two errors in the top of the fourth allowed Ascension Catholic to score five runs and take control.

“We played excellent baseball over the first three innings,” Madere said. “In the fourth and fifth, it was like we lost our concentration.”