Like the summer weather, the Tamaqua American Legion baseball team is starting to heat up at the right time.

Uncorking a high voltage offense, the Blue Sox routed the Pottsville Lions Club, 11-1, in six innings in a Schuylkill-Berks Legion League game Wednesday.The Blue Sox used multiple sources to generate their energy.Casey Rother and Josh Inama supplied home runs, Brady Akins added a triple and a double, and Nick Briner belted a triple. The Bue Sox finished the game with 14 hits."We never had a problem hitting, it was our pitching (at times)," said Tamaqua manager Todd Heisler. "You can see how we hit the ball."But today, we also got a real solid pitching outing from Connor Hartung. If we plan on making any noise in the (league) playoffs, we will need that type of pitching effort."There was a silencer on the Blue Sox bats early in the game as Pottsville's Alex Everly allowed just two hits through the first three innings - a one out double from Rother in the home second and a two out single from Matt Minchhoff in the third.All it took was one swat to shake up Everly, and Rother did that emphatically, blasting a one-out home run to left center to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth.It was a preview of what was to come."It felt good. All we need is that one (big) hit to get us going," offered Rother, who had a solid day with three hits and three RBI.The Blue Sox broke the game open in the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate.The uprising started innocently enough when Briner reached on an error. Brady Moyer then laid down a perfect bunt for a single, which brought Inama to the plate."I was just looking for something to hit," Inama said.Hit it he did. His shot over the center field fence cleared the bases for a three-run homer, and gave Tamaqua its first lead of the game.One out later, Eddie Titus reached on an error, before Akins hit a liner to left center for a triple and an RBI. After an out, Noah Evans singled in another run. A walk to Russ Blaker brought Briner to the plate for a second time in the inning. Briner didn't waste time booming a triple for two more runs."As you seen, we're capable of hitting the ball and scoring runs in bunches," said Heisler.Tamaqua added three more runs in the sixth, when the Blue Sox used a walk, a single from Titus, an RBI double from Akins, and Rother's third hit of the game, a two-run single.Lost in the rout was a strong pitching performance by Hartung, who went the distance, allowing four singles and an unearned run. He struck out three and walked two.BARRELING IT UP … Six of Tamaqua's 14 hits went for extra bases, including two home runs, two triples and two doubles.IN THE CHASE … The Blue Sox are right in the North Division chase, which Pottsville leads with a 5-7 record. Tamaqua is now 4-9. The league playoffs start in a week, and all 14 teams make the field.UP NEXT… Tamaqua travels to Minersville this evening for a 6 p.m. start.Pottsville 100 000 - 1 5 1Tamaqua 000 173 - 11 14 1Everly, Daubert (6) and Herndon; Hartung and Rother. W - Hartung L - Everly. HR: T - Rother (4th, none on), Inama (5th, two on).