Before any of the Southern Regional High School baseball team’s batters stepped into the batter’s box for the bottom of the first inning during the Ocean County Tournament championship game on May 18, the Rams knew they were in for either one of two types of games – a barn-burner or a blowout.

Down 2-0 to fourth-seeded Toms River North after a half-inning, the third-seeded Rams had their answer within the next few Mariners’ at-bats.