By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

For much of the season, West St. John Coach Lennix Madere’s chief concern has been the strength of his pitching staff, particularly after top starter Karl Herbert.

Over the last two games, however, pitching has been the least of his concerns.

Corey Herbert struck out seven over seven innings and allowed only two earned runs. But the Rams struggled with their gloves and their bats, and fell on the road to 9-1A district foe White Castle on Tuesday, 6-4.

The Bulldogs scored four unearned runs in the game due to five Ram errors. Compounding the problem was that the Rams uncharacteristically struggled offensively, as the team accounted for only six hits.

West St. John left six men on base in the first five innings, giving White Castle a foothold in the game.

“Once again, we didn’t hit with men on base,” said Madere. “It hasn’t been the pitching. The last two games, we can’t ask for better pitching. But we have to support those guys with the bats and in the field.”

The loss drops West St. John (3-5, 2-2) to third place in District 9-1A.

Bray Joseph gave the Rams a 1-0 lead in the first inning after he scored on a passed ball in the first inning.

Kenny Taylor extended the lead to 2-0 in the third, his single bringing in Joseph. Barry Hanson singled later in the inning to plate Taylor, making it 3-0.

But the Bulldogs scored twice in each of the third and fourth innings to take a 4-3 lead. All four runs were unearned.

Corey Herbert singled in the fifth, and Taylor’s base hit brought him home to tie the game at four.

But White Castle scored its only two earned runs of the game at just the right time, taking a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning. WSJ couldn’t answer.

“Corey pitched a great game,” said Madere. “It was a game we should have won 4-0 or 4-1. But they took advantage of the mistakes we made.

“Maybe we need bigger gloves. I don’t know.”

Madere did say, though, that the pitching of the Herbert brothers gives him reason to think things will be alright, provided some improvements are made in the other facets of the game.

“If we can find a way to put the bat on the ball again, we’ll be alright,” he said.