The Trinity Episcopal Saints and the Wilkinson County Christian Academy Rams split a bizarre varsity doubleheader Monday at the Trinity baseball field.

Bizarre because instead of playing one seven-inning game, Trinity coach David King decided to try to play two five-inning games. The first game belonged to WCCA as the Rams routed Trinity 11-3.

&uot;The first game was just what it was … a first game,&uot; said Trinity head coach David King.

Winning pitcher Brantly Hall allowed one earned run and only two hits while striking out eight and walking four.

Kaine Pace scored the Rams’ first run on Lance Cutrer’s RBI single that loaded the bases with two outs. Trinity’s Walt Ketchings, however, got Kody Pace to strike out to end what could have been a big inning.

Even though Hall walked four batters through the first two innings, Trinity was not able to mount a threat, not even getting a base hit as the score remained 1-0 going into the third inning.

&uot;I was expecting a lot out of Brantly. He’s our number three pitcher,&uot; Rams head coach Rocky McDaniels said.

The Rams scored three times in the third inning on an RBI single by Shannon Day and a two-run homer to left field by Cutrer.

&uot;That was a big confidence booster for us,&uot; McDaniels said. &uot;That got the momentum going.&uot;

The Rams scored twice more in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Hall and an RBI double by Day.

Trinity had a chance to score in the bottom of the fourth with Elliot Meng at third and Walt Ketchings at second, but Hall got Chad Ridley and Wes Middleton to strike out and Ryan Rachal to ground out to first.

WCCA scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning, including Hall’s bases-clearing double and an RBI single by Day.

Trinity got its three runs in the bottom of the fifth, two on errors that scored Joey Wilson and Gregory Ketchings and another on a passed ball that scored Meng.

Walt Ketchings was the losing pitcher, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits while striking out eight and walking two in three innings.

&uot;I thought we did pretty well overall for the first game,&uot; McDaniels said.

The second game went only two and a half innings due to darkness, with Trinity coming out on top 6-2. The Saints scored 3 runs in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk by Walt Ketchings and a 2-run single by Chad Ridley.

Trinity (1-2) scored 3 more runs in the second inning on a passed ball that brought in Cole Brown, an RBI double by Meng that scored Gregory Ketchings and an RBI single by Walt Ketchings that scored Meng.

&uot;I challenged the seniors in between games to get us ready to play in the second game,&uot; King said.

WCCA (1-1) scored both of its runs on passed balls, one in the second and one in the third. Ridley was the winning pitcher for Trinity in the second game, allowing no earned runs on one hit while striking out two and walking two in two innings.

Jamey Patrick was the losing pitcher for WCCA, giving up three runs and walking three in no innings.

Trinity next opens up District 5-1A action at Amite School Center today starting with the JV game at 5 p.m. followed by the varsity game at 7 p.m.