5-1 District Win over Webster, Proves Costly for Ladue

The guy with the warmest seat today is Ladue’s Athletic Director Brian Garner. He has cleared his desk and he will be working on one single issue--trying to get the Rams star center fielder Lex Kaplan eligible for today’s district championship game at St. Louis U. High.

With one out in the final inning of the game with Webster Groves, Ladue came up with a spectacular out, shortstop Michael Wielanski to third baseman Dylan Barstow on a tag opportunity.

Kaplan, who came in, in relief of starter Rob Ewald was hustling over to third to help out. Something he said, got him tossed out by the base umpire.

Off the record, Kaplan would swear on a stack of Bibles, that whatever he said, it was not directed to the umpire.

All the protesting in the World on the field made no difference. Kaplan was tossed from the game, and the Missouri State High School Activities Association rules call for a one game suspension.

The star center fielder, who came into the game batting .443 with 23 RBIs will have to sit out the district championship game at SLUH this afternoon, against the Junior Billikens unless an appeal is quickly overturned.

Garner will try his best to get that one game suspension lifted.

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The Rams are 18-3, having one of their best seasons in the modern era.

They lost to the same Junior Billiken team in the district championships last year at Ritenour.

The Rams were so good Monday night. They pounced on right-handed starter Kyle Uhrich, getting solo runs early in the game, then pouncing on the Webster pitcher in the game-clinching fourth inning.

Jason Blanke dropped a lead off single into center and moved to second on Levi Greenberg’s sacrifice out. Kaplan delivered an RBI single, a solid shot up the middle scoring Blanke.

Turner Miller, the catcher reached on a single past short and Barstow delivered an RBI single, scoring Kaplan.

“It was definitely a great team effort,” said Ladue’s catcher Miller. “Everyone played really well and had some good bats.

This was definitely a rivalry game for us.” Webster beat Ladue 6-4 at home on April 15.

“Everyone was focused and we came out and really showed we were the better team today,” said Miller.

Ladue’s coach Rob Garrett has his take on the ump’s call. “What Lex said wasn’t taunting. It was just an emotional game, and he got emotional,” said Garrett. “The umpire thought it was towards him, and it was not,” said Garrett.

“I was so proud of our kids. Rob (Ewald) just battled out there. We set the set record for wins in a season tonight and the kids just rallied around Rob,” he said.

Webster’s coach Joe Beckman has to live with the season-ending loss to Ladue.

“Ladue is a very good team. We just lost to a better team today,” said the Webster coach.