Cardinals Defeat Essex 4-1 in Pitcher's Duel

The CCBC Catonsville Cardinals baseball team won their third game of the season on Tuesday afternoon, defeating sister school CCBC Essex 4-1.

In the first game of a two-game series, the Cardinals broke a stalemate in the bottom of the fifth with a flurry of runs. Despite being out-hit nine to five, Catonsville took advantage of an excellent pitching performance by freshman right-handed pitcher Max Cutts (Olympia) and clutch plays by the infield to secure the victory.

The first four innings were scoreless, as both teams engaged in a pitcher's duel. Cutts, making his second start of the season, recorded two strikeouts in his first five trips to the mound. The rest of the outs were recorded by an excellent Catonsville infield that rarely let Essex batters hit past the dirt.

However, the Cardinals struggled to get on base themselves. Essex pitcher Danny Padilla struck out three batters and left three Cardinals stranded as he matched Cutts inning by inning. Catonsville did have a chance to score in the bottom of the second, as freshman catcher Tony D'Angeli (Atholton) and sophomore outfielder Caleb Bailey (Old Mill) both singled. Sophomore shortstop Orlando Perez Jr. (Winter Park) flew out to end the inning, leaving D'Angeli and Bailey stranded.

Finally, the stalemate was broken in the bottom of the fifth. After Padilla walked sophomore first baseman Tomas Martinez (Memorial) and Perez, sophomore outfielder Roman March (Franklin) smacked an RBI single that brought Martinez home. Although Perez was caught at second, it didn't matter as the Cardinals had swung momentum their way. Sophomore outfielder Angelo Ramirez (North Atlanta) doubled to bring in March, then scored himself off a wild pitch to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

Catonsville extended their lead to 4-0 following an RBI triple by March in the bottom of the seventh that brough in Perez. Essex got on the board in the top of the eighth thank to a homerun from Mitchell Haywood, but it wasn't enough. After pitching for eight innings, Cutts was pulled in the ninth for sophomore right-handed pitcher Travis Fullerton (Winters Mill). Fullerton retired the side to end the game, giving Catonsville a 4-1 victory.

March finished as the leading hitter for the Cardinals, recording two hits, two RBIs and a triple. Ramirez added an RBI and a stolen base. Cutts pitched a near-complete game, throwing three strikeouts and allowing only one run.

The Cardinals will face Essex in the second game of their series on Thursday, March 10 at 3pm.

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