Eastside Baseball Suffers Shutout Against P.K. Yonge

The Eastside Rams dropped to 0-17 Thursday after the 23-0 loss in four innings to the P.K. Yonge Blue Wave at Bobby Hawkins Field.

P.K. Yonge (10-9) has outscored Eastside 39-0 in 71/3 innings to again sweep the season series.

A Tone-Setting First Inning

Sophomore pitcher Tyler Belleville showed Eastside what throwing a no-hitter looked like. Belleville had a few hitters walk, but nothing that resulted in a score in the first inning.

The Blue Wave started the onslaught by scoring eight runs in the first. As the Blue Wave ran through some batters twice, Micah Gratto scored twice in the inning. It was clear that a comeback would be tough for the Rams’ struggling outfield. With multiple dropped balls and the Blue Waves’ base-stealing tactics, the Rams dug themselves in a hole early.

An impressive bottom of the first for the Blue Wave. They had multiple monster hits, steals, and 6 walks. 8-0. pic.twitter.com/C4HbvKpUV3

— Alexa (@Alexa_leipold) April 3, 2025

Pattern Of Loaded Bases

With two separate instances of loaded bases for P.K. Yonge in the first inning, the Blue Wave were just getting started.

The top of the second resulted in three quick outs for the Rams, handing the batting team role back over to P.K. Yonge. In the home second the bases were loaded three more times and the Blue Wave cashed in to score six more runs for a 14-0 advantage.

The Swing Heard ‘Round The Park

Eastside stepped up to bat in the top of the third hoping to put some runs on the board or at least a hit. The Rams’ hopes were quickly dashed, as Belleville only faced four hitters who stepped up to the plate for a swing.

After the transition, P.K. Yonge scored two runs as Noah Grogan pranced toward home plate, with Preston Splitt following not too far behind. As Darius Medley stepped up to bat, amid a field of full bases for the seventh time in the game, he knew what he had the potential to do. Medley’s bat made contact with the ball and sent it flying outside the park. He followed his three teammates home as the players in the dugout stormed the field to welcome Medley with shouts and praise for hitting the grand slam homer.

Full Video of Darius Medley grand slam. pic.twitter.com/vvL8Z7ordH

— Alexa (@Alexa_leipold) April 4, 2025

The Ending and Beyond

The Rams took the field with one last chance of putting runs on the board. After four hitters went up to bat, the game ended when a runner was thrown out at home. The Rams look to perform differently against the Gainesville Hurricanes (6-9) at home at 6 p.m. Friday.

Belleville (1-0) struck out three and walked three in his 69-pitch no-hitter in four innings, while Eastside pitchers had a rough night by walking 16, hitting two batters and giving up 10 hits. Medley finished 3-for-3, drove in seven, scored three runs and stole three bases (30 on the season).

P.K. Yonge, meanwhile, knows how poor pitching and fielding affect a game’s outcome. The Blue Wave seek redemption at 7 p.m. Friday in Cross City against Dixie County (6-12), a team they lost to 21-11 just last week.