Rams first baseman Alex Pacheco (21) and rightfielder Noah Braunschweiger chase a foul ball at Cleveland, where it was breezy Friday evening, but nothing like the wind on Tuesday. Every ball in the air was an adventure. (Gary Herron / Observer)

Kai Fitak was happily carried off the mound Tuesday afternoon, after Rams first baseman Seth Lee squeezed a popup hit his way for the game’s final out.

The Rams had just beaten visiting Volcano Vista 9-8, and RRHS coach Ron Murphy had instructed his players to carry their Fitak (2-0) off the field. It turns out, he’d injured an ankle chasing a popup.

“He carried you for the last three innings; you carry him,” Murphy had told his Rams.

Cousins Jaymin Fitak and Kai Fitak probably didn’t expect this outcome, but Kai held the winning hand.

Senior Jaymin Fitak (5-1) started the game for the Hawks (12-7, 2-2 in 1-5A) on a horrendously windy day, and was charged with all the Rams’ runs, although the final two were unearned.

Junior Kai Fitak relieved Rams starter Devon Alvarado in the fourth, after Tony Leger’s grand slam put the Hawks ahead, 8-7. Teammate Aidan Zacarias provided the Hawks their first two runs on a two-run homer off Alvarado in the second inning.

But five errors doomed the Hawks, losing their second game in Rio Rancho this season; they also lost the APS Metro Championship game, 6-0, on March 19.

Jaymin Fitak walked Izaiah Tafoya to start the fifth and shortstop Jordan Baca’s wild throw to first gave the Rams two base runners. Casen Savage doubled them home and the scoring was complete.

Kai Fitak (2-0), the Rams’ starting third baseman, had an RBI triple against his cousin in the first inning and an RBI double in the second, as the Rams (19-3, 3-1) built a 7-2 lead after two innings.

Fitak, Savage, Elijah Castañeda and Vascon Smith each had two of the Rams’ 10 hits.

“It feels good; me and him have always been competitive,” Kai Fitak said. “It just feels good to come out on top today.”

The Rams play at Atrisco Heritage Academy on Thursday at 4 p.m. That game was on the original schedule for Friday, but Murphy said the Jaguars didn’t want to play on Good Friday.

Also Tuesday, Cleveland (13-7, 4-0) remained unbeaten and atop 1-5A after whitewashing the Jaguars at AHA, 15-0.