Reavis has recorded a few solid wins

Updated: April 25, 2011 6:24AM

Reavis may not have the most impressive record at 7-6. Two of those victories, though, are against Top 10 SouthtownStar squads.

The Rams have defeated No. 2 St. Rita and preseason No. 5 Lemont.

Before this year. Reavis hadn't beat the Mustangs since 2000. Against Lemont, Reavis rallied for six runs in the seventh inning against Illinois-bound pitcher Josh Ferry to stun the Indians.

"Those were a couple of unbelievable come-from-behind wins," Reavis coach Don Erickson said. "It's always nice beating a rival like St. Rita. I've never experienced anything like the Lemont game."

Considering the Rams are hitting .252 as a team, the six-run outburst was a welcome sight for Erickson.

"That's really low for us," Erickson said. "We're usually in the .300 to .320 range. I think everybody's average is down with the weather and the wind blowing in."

The Rams have been pitching well. Senior Garrett Rhodes, headed to Joliet Junior College in the fall, is 2-2 and among the area leaders in strikeouts with 24.

Junior Josh Arnold has slipped into the No. 2 spot in the rotation. At 103 pounds, he's hardly intimidating. But what he lacks in stature he more than makes up for in knowing how to pitch. He's coming off complete-game wins over Argo and Tinley Park.

Two pitchers Erickson was expecting big things from - Anthony Doory, a transfer from St. Rita, and Jake Stano - have pretty much been sidelined with injuries.

That forced Erickson to promote freshman Jose Ramiro. The southpaw impressed during a 2-0 loss to T.F. South.

"We've been short-handed on the mound," Erickson said. "But it's given other guys an opportunity."

The one constant for the Rams is senior Rob Rabakozi. The catcher, who will attend Valparaiso, is wrapping up his third year on the varsity.

"With Rob up the last three years, we've never had to worry about the other team's running game," Erickson said. "The only time someone tries to steal is if one of our young pitchers doesn't hold a guy on. Rob has such a tremendous arm. He's as good as it gets defensively."

Erickson is confident the Rams (4-1) have what it takes to compete for the South Suburban Red title.

"Richards is tough and they're young," Erickson said. "Oak Lawn is playing better.

There's four or five teams capable of winning it, and I think we're one of them."

Familiar names

A couple of names from the past have children playing varsity ball at local high schools.

Zach Lewis, son of St. Laurence graduate Tony Lewis, is a sophomore at Marist. Like his father, Zach is a right-handed pitcher with immense potential. He pitched four innings of one-run ball against Sandburg earlier this season.

Tony Lewis played college ball at Pepperdine and pitched in the San Diego Padres organization.

John Ericks, son of the Chicago Christian graduate of the same name, is a senior at Tinley Park. He pitched two scoreless innings of relief April 12 against Oak Forest.

The elder Ericks played college ball at Illinois and was a first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals.

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