After a week off for Spring Break — and just one day of practice in that time — the Richmond Raider Gold baseball team figured to be a bit rusty when it returned to action Tuesday night at home against Purnell Swett.

The Raider bats took awhile to get going. But when they did get going, they heated up in a big way, as Raider Gold powered to an 11-1 win over the Rams to improve to 6-1 on the season. The game was halted in the bottom of the sixth inning due to the 10-run rule.

“We started to see the ball better, and we were able to get some two-out clutch hits,” Norton said. “It’s always great when you can get that.”

Indeed, in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Raiders had a razor-thin 2-1 lead. Then they rallied for five runs to break the game open. Kole Stanley drew a walk to load the bases, and Devontae Watkins plated two runs with a single for a 4-1 lead.

But the Raiders weren’t done bringing the two-out magic. Chandler Fann drew a walk to re-load the bases, and Alex Norton doubled to the gap in right-center, scoring two more runs. The Raiders added their fifth run when Watkins scored on a throwing error.

Raider Gold iced the game in the home half of the sixth. Staub started the inning with a single, and Drew Butler hit a ground-rule double. A walk loaded the bases, and then Stanley stroked a two-RBI double for a 9-1 Raider Gold lead.

Watkins ended the rally with a two-tun walk-off double.

Jacob Sears pitched a strong six innings for the Raiders, displaying a nasty curveball that had Purnell Swett batters bailing out of the batters box. Sears struck out six.

Raider Gold returns to action on Thursday when the Raiders will travel to Pinecrest.

n Contact sports editor David Vantress at 997-3111, ext. 14 or via email at dvantress@yourdailyjournal.com.