Cardinals Sweep the Hawks, Keeping the Winning Streak Alive

Game 1

On Sunday May 1, 2022, the CCBC Catonsville Cardinals hosted the College of Southern Maryland Hawks for a double header matchup. Coming into this game the Cardinals were sitting at 21-21, even on the season for their overall record. In conference play they were 12-7, and holding onto a six-game winning streak.

In the first inning, the Cardinals struck right away in the bottom half of the inning with back to back doubles coming from Roman March (Baltimore, MD), and Angelo Ramirez (Atlanta, GA). March doubled to center field, and immediately after that Ramirez hit his double to right center driving in March from second base. Later in the inning, Pete Howell (Maitland, FL), singled to right field advancing Tony D'Angeli (Columbia, MD), to second base, and scoring Alex Elliot (Clarksville, MD), on the play.

In the second inning, the Cardinals let up one run to the Hawks, but the Cardinals would not stop, and in the bottom half of the inning they added a few more runs. Orlando Perez Jr (Ocoee, FL), grounded out to first base which advanced Christian Figueroa (North Arlington, NJ), to third, and scored Noah Deluca (Odenton, MD), on the play. Two batters later Ramirez singled to the catcher, bringing home Figueroa. This would make the score 4-1 Cardinals.

The Hawks would add one run to their score in the top half of the third inning. In the bottom half of the inning Deluca tripled to center field, and scored D'Angeli from third. The score would read 5-2.

All was quiet in the fourth inning with no runs being put on the board. The Hawks were the only ones to score in the fifth inning, coming with just one run. This would make the game a little bit closer, 5-3 Cardinals still leading.

In the sixth inning, the Hawks added two more runs off of a two-run homerun. This tied the game at 5-5. In the bottom of the sixth, the Cardinals pushed back ahead. Perez Jr, answered with a two-run blast of a homerun right back to take the lead. Two batters later Ramirez doubled again to left center scoring March. This would make the game 8-5.

In the seventh inning, the Hawks added four runs to their score stealing the lead from the Cardinals, making the score 9-8. In the bottom of the seventh the Cardinals would need one run to tie, or two to win. With one out on the board Deluca stood in the batters' box, and hit a single that went through the shortstop hole, which advanced James Hurst (Orlando, FL), on an error, and scored Caleb Bailey (Severn, MD). The score was 9-9, and off to extra innings.

The Cardinals held off the Hawks in the top half of the eighth inning, and it was all up to them if they could pull away with one more run, the Cardinals would win the first game of the double header, and with Bailey up to bat they do just that. Bailey singled to right field driving in Ramirez for a walk off, and the Cardinals win 10-9.

Game 2 

In the first inning, the Cardinals added a run from an Elliot single to right center, which scored March from first base. The next few innings were quiet, until the fourth inning when the Cardinals striked again.

Howell got it started with a homerun, and right after that Lexius Calderon (Kissimme, FL), homered as well. This would make the game 3-0 Cardinals. The fifth inning was quiet as well with nobody scoring.

In the sixth inning, the Hawks put up their first runs of the game, scoring two runs. This would be their only runs of the game.

In the bottom half of the sixth inning Perez Jr, reached on a fielder's choice with help from an error by the second basemen on the Hawks, the Cardinals were able to add two runs to their score in this play with Deluca and Calderon scoring. The score was 6-2 at the end of the sixth inning, and that would be the final score, and the Cardinals would hold off the Hawks in the seventh inning to secure the win. The Cardinals swept the series against the Hawks.

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