Express Notes:
A week of batting practice paid off for the Express Sunday, as their offense got on track and paced the team to an 11-8 win over the host Timber-Rattlers at Back Caldecott. Unable to get timely hits with men on base for most of the season, the Express bats delivered on Sunday led by Kiran K's two-out, two-run single in the third and Ari F's bases-loaded triple in the top of the sixth.

In the early going, though, pitching and defense were the main story lines. Tyler J started for the Diesels and threw three efficient innings, giving up just two runs, striking out three, and needing only 39 pitches. He went out with a bang too, throwing a 1-2-3 third inning in just 11 pitches.

Tyler got a plenty of help behind him in the field. In the first, SS Jonah L had a couple of great stops, including a backhand stab and a grab on a line drive going up the middle to end the inning. In the second, Cole E fought the sun to hold on to a pop fly at first. And in the third, Kiran and Jonah both had clean plays on hard hit ground balls.

The Express took the lead in the top of the fourth, as Sam W-S tripled to lead off and scored on Sommers D-N's ground ball to shortstop.

In the bottom of the fourth, Aidan D pitched a trademark quick inning - throwing strikes and letting his defense do the rest. He was helped out by a highlight reel play to end the inning. With a runner on, Cole E charged a soft roller to third base and fired to first, where John S was pulled off the base but was able to catch the ball and make the tag in one motion before the streaking T-Rat could reach safely.

In the fifth, the offenses really took over for both teams. In the top of the frame, with the Express leading 3-2, hot-hitting Alex N got things started for the Locomotives with a single. After walks to Cole, Jonah, and Kiran, and timely hits by Erik W, and Liam D, the Express plated three and were up 6-2.

The lead didn't last though, as the Timber-Rattlers struck back in the bottom of the fifth - scoring four runs with two outs to knot the game 6-6 heading into the sixth. Erik W pitched well again, striking out two of the first three T-Rats he faced, but couldn't get the third out before the T-Rats had caught up.

In the sixth, the hits kept coming for the Express, capped by Ari's bases-clearing triple. Before it was over, the Diesels had scored five times to lead 11-6

The Timber-Rattlers did not go quietly in the bottom of the sixth - scoring twice to close the gap to 11-8. The Express defense was too tough, though. SS Sommers D-N made a nifty throw from his knees to get the first out, pitcher Ari F made a lunging grab to catch a pop up just across the first base foul line for the second out, and the game ended with a 6-3 put-out from Sommers to Liam, the 10th ground ball out recorded by the Express defense on the day.

'I was very happy with our hitting today and also our infield defense today,' Coach Brook said after the game. 'There were a lot of guys who could have walked home with the game ball today, but I was happy to give it Jonah - he was a vacuum cleaner out there - nothing got past him. We've got a week off for Easter, but then we're on to the Naturals.'