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By Dean Hensley Times-News Staff Writer March 28, 2001 EAST FLAT ROCK - T.C. Roberson's Reid Price felt like he had something to prove in Tuesday's Mountain Athletic Conference opener at East Henderson. In his last outing against Franklin last Friday, Price gave up five runs on six hits in just three innings of work. Tuesday against East, Price was close to perfect, hurling a no-hitter and striking out 12 while leading Roberson to a five-inning, 15-1 pounding of the Eagles."He was ahead of every batter in this game, and he was just outstanding after struggling against Franklin last week," Ram coach Tom Smith said. "I guess that made him a little more determined today, and you could tell. He was pretty strong all game long."Roberson, now the top-ranked 3-A team in the Baseball America/North Carolina High School Baseball Coaches Association poll, improves to 9-0 overall and 1-0 in the MAC and will host conference-rival Asheville on Friday. East falls to 4-4 and 0-1 and will host North Buncombe on Thursday.Price, who didn't walk a batter, threw four perfect innings against East and had piled up nine strikeouts when his bid for perfection was busted up in the top of the fifth. He put Nathan Patterson on board with a walk, and Clay Byrd got to first next with a rare Roberson error in the infield.One batter later, Patterson was able to cross home plate after a passed ball for East's lone run.To compliment Price's pitching, the Roberson bats were unstoppable. The Rams' hits constantly found the right gaps, and by the end of the third Roberson held a commanding 14-0 lead."That was just an old-fashioned lesson in baseball. They really put on a hitting clinic, and they are just a super ballclub. I was telling my assistant coach that games like this are going to come, and all we can do is go on and get ready for North Buncombe on Thursday," East coach Wendell Ireland said.Chris Price put Roberson on the board in the first frame with a double to center that scored Brian Medlock from second. A batter later, Kory Radford lined a triple to right that plated Price and Jason Fletcher to give the Rams a 3-0 lead.After East starting pitcher Shawn Gibson walked Reid Price, Ryan Radford stepped up next and ripped a shot through the gap in right-center to score two more Ram runs, putting Roberson on top 5-0 after the first inning.Roberson added four more runs in the second frame with RBI singles from Medlock, Deans, Chris Price and Reid Price.In the top of the third, Roberson's offensive onslaught continued. Medlock knocked in Kenny Smith with a double to the center field wall, and Chris Price plated Medlock with a single to the right-field wall to make it 11-0.East was never able to recover. Gibson (0-2) took the loss after going just 1 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs (all earned) off eight hits while striking out two and walking one. Price improves to 4-0.Medlock led the bats for the Rams, going 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBIs. Kenny Smith also went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. |