The Rams of Monsignor Donovan High School, Athens, visited Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, Atlanta, April 7, but despite a gritty effort they were defeated in six innings 12-2.

Mount Vernon scored the first run in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI double by junior pitcher Clint Echols and added two more in the second and five more in the third to take an 8-0 lead.

Donovan High School scored all its runs in the top of the fourth. Freshman catcher Philip Scherer drove in two runs with the swing of his bat. Junior shortstop Steven Shepherd also went two-for-two with a single and a double.

“It is only our second year of baseball,” said Donovan coach Jeremy Elliott. “We have yet to win a game; however, the team is still very young and is getting better. The team is hitting the ball well. There’s just not very much pitching depth.”

Mount Vernon got strong performances from starting pitcher Echols and relievers Michael Cuomo and Jon Burtin. Mount Vernon freshman outfielder Charles Justus drove in three of the team’s 12 runs. They improved to 5-3 overall. Mount Vernon is coached by Mike Turner, a parishioner of St. Benedict Church, Duluth, and the brother of Ricky Turner, athletic director and head football coach at Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell.

The loss dropped Donovan High School to 0-7. They face Augusta’s Curtis Baptist High School in Athens Friday, April 18.