Confidence is key for Millikan, and the confidence gained in the shut out win over Poly on Tuesday rolled right into the match up with Wilson on Thursday.  Pitcher Andrew Culver helped the Rams to a 5-0 victory, confidently going the distance and racking up seven strikeouts while only giving up two hits and two walks.

Offensively, Millikan continued to jump on opportunity as they capitalized on five Wilson errors and scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning without getting a hit (three walks, two errors).  Culver took the momentum and used his defense to keep the Bruins down.  With Bryan Haver on second after a single and a stolen base, Tanner Perkins sent a shot to the wall, but it fell just foul.  Two pitches later, he hit a screaming line drive, but Ram shortstop Ralph Davis snagged it and doubled up Haver at second.

“This yard is all about throwing strikes and playing defense,” said Millikan coach Scott Glasser.  “And when your pitcher is confident… it makes it hard to score.”

Culver is a naturally confident kid, but he was only utilizing two pitches, and struggled early in the year, as did all the Rams.  Yesterday during practice, pitching coach Kevin Marchael worked with Culver on the change up, fixing his grip to make it more of a circle change instead of over the top.  Glasser said he threw the new change up about 12-15 times, and got a lot of check swing strikes out of it.

“I wasn’t really throwing it for strikes in practice, or in the bullpen,” said Culver after his complete game shutout, the second one in a row for the Rams.  “But it worked, so I kept throwing it.  (Frye) is a junior, I’m a senior, I can’t have him out pitching me.  We know we can play with the best, and our hitting has put us over the top.”

That hitting came up huge in the second inning when back-to-back-to-back singles from Brandon Sadler, Matt Clampitt and Jon Singleton brought a run in.  Two walks and a sac fly later, and it was 5-0.

For the Bruins on the mound, J.T. Mazalewski came in from the bullpen and threw four scoreless innings with the help of good defensive plays on a few slow rollers from third baseman Haver.  But Culver was too much, and Wilson didn’t get a runner to third until the last out in the seventh.  Culver faced just four over the minimum in the last five innings.

So, how did the Rams turn it all around in time for league play?  “We didn’t change anything… the kids bought in to hitting balls hard on the ground, good pitching, playing good defense… and it takes a little confidence.”

Next Wednesday, Millikan (2-0) will play Cabrillo at Blair in the 3:30pm game, while Wilson (0-2) plays in the nightcap at 6:30pm against Jordan.