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In the middle of the fifth inning of the back half of Tuesday's doubleheader with visiting Massachusetts' North Essex Community College, the Frederick Community College baseball team emptied out of the dugout with an 18-0 slaughter rule victory.

Earlier, the Cougars had claimed a 5-3 victory. The sun was shining on FCC Tuesday, and has so far this season, as the Cougars have rolled to a 12-1 start.

"It's early, but the guys worked extremely hard throughout the offseason," FCC head coach Rodney Bennett said. "It's funny when things start clicking, when you get good pitching and you get good hitting and good defense it makes coaching baseball much easier."

Tuesday's nightcap featured the Cougars at the top of their game FCC erupted for 14 hits and 11 runs in the second inning. Joey Murphy drove in three with a trio of hits. Mike Mhatuck, Alex Buccilli and Linganore High grad Brian Paulhus also logged multiple hits and a RBI apiece. It was the ninth time this season; the Cougars have produced a double-digit run total.

With his teammates tattooing Eagles' pitching, Cougars' starter Mike Mitchell rolled on the mound. The freshman right-hander gave up just five hits while striking out four in five innings of work. FCC has recorded three shutouts and allowed two runs or less on eight occasions.

"This is one of the best pitching staffs I've ever seen," said Paulhus, FCC's catcher. "We have seven or eight guys who could be number one starters. All of them come out and pump strikes and make batters hit."

Paulhus recently committed to play for NCAA Division II Francis Marion University (S.C.) next season.

Coming into the season, Bennett knew he had the bats and the arms to compete. His concern, like every other baseball coach, was how long it would take the players to pick up the nuisances of the game. So far he's been pleasantly surprised.

"I've been around this a while, and I haven't had too many teams do the little things right this early in the year. We know we have a lot work to do, but overall the guys are doing what they need to do. I can't say I'm upset about our start and say I don't wish we weren't playing so well."

The Cougars are playing loose and have developed a tight bond. Following Tuesday's sweep, the Cougars chanted "Mitchell" in honor of Mitchell on their way into the outfield for a huddle. Paulhus was jovially harassed while giving an interview and playfully tapped on the rear end by passing teammates.

"All of us get along really well," Paulhus said. "This is one of the best groups I've been around."

Talk of region championships and lengthy postseason runs always swirl around FCC's baseball program. The Cougars claimed the Region XX title in 2007 and 2008 and have made four trips to the NJCAA Division II World Series, including 2007.

"Every year our goal stays the same, and that is to make it to a national tournament," Bennett said. "One of the big selling points for FCC is the opportunity to play for a national championship. Every one of their goals are the same. They want to make it to nationals."

At 3-0 in Maryland JUCO Conference play, the Cougars are tied with the Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville and Montgomery College-Germantown atop the league standings.