Three T.C. sluggers go deep in 12-2 win East's Clay Byrd tries to put the tag on Roberson's Theo Herila. Photo by CHRIS CLEVENGER By Dean Hensley Times-News Staff Writer May 1, 2002 ASHEVILLE � The television camera on hand at T.C. Roberson�s baseball field got a shot of all of East Henderson�s runs Tuesday when Eagle slugger Teague Halford ripped a two-run homer in the second inning. But after the camera was shut off, the Ram bats turned on. Roberson got home runs from Theo Herila, Bobby Hubbard and a monster mash from Chris Price as the Rams cruised to a 12-2 rout of the Eagles in just six innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. East drops to 12-8 and 7-6 in the Mountain Athletic Conference and will host Enka on Thursday. Roberson, the third-ranked 3-A team in the state in the latest Baseball America/North Carolina Coaches poll, improves to 18-1 and 11-1. The Rams� next game will also be at home when they host Tuscola, the seventh-ranked team in the state, on Friday. �Man, that had to be over 400 feet,� Roberson coach Tommy Smith said of Price�s towering blast in the bottom of the fourth. �That was a blast. East has played everyone tough in the conference this year. They battled us pretty hard out there, and I was surprised to see our bats stay hot.� Roberson held a 5-2 lead going into the fourth, but Price�s three-run shot put the Rams on top 8-2, and they weren�t satisfied with that. East starting pitcher Shawn Gibson (4-3) watched in disbelief a batter later when Bobby Hubbard crushed one just short of Price�s shot to make it 9-2. Price and Hubbard were also a part of the three-run sixth inning that ended the game. Price led off with a walk, and Kory Radford belted a liner to the center-field fence to plate Price. Hubbard, who reached on a fielder�s choice, scored later in the inning when Cameron Maybin lined a single to left to plate Hubbard from third and end the game. �We just made a lot of mistakes in the early innings. It was just too many errors, too many errors,� East coach Wendel Ireland said. The Rams got three runs in the first inning off just one hit and an Eagle error to take a 3-0 lead. But East answered in the top half of the second when Bret Mathis ripped a liner to left. Halford followed with his shot to right to cut the lead to 3-2. Price put the Rams on top 4-2 with an RBI single in the bottom of the second, and Herila followed with a solo homer in the third to give Roberson a 5-2 lead. Roberson starter Lee Skaggs (2-0) went four innings, allowing two runs (both earned) off three hits, while striking out five and walking one. Gibson took the loss after his four innings of work. He gave up nine runs (seven earned) off six hits, struck out four and walked three. Price, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs, led the bats for Roberson. Herila also went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. East was led at the plate by Halford, who went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs.