By Jen Chan
The legends were welcomed by many members of the county for the Veterans game to start off the All Star Weekend. Many of the veterans have been out of the league for over 15 years. The game went by with some enjoyable scenes including getting hit and falling to the ground, a certain coach not liking a call at home plate and a few different tripping errors all around the field.

The East took the lead early on the in the game and scored the first 4 runs of the game in the top of the 1st and scored an additional run in the top of the 2nd. The West would fight back in the bottom of the 2nd by a solo shot to right center from Jason Beale to start off the list of home runs for both teams.

Seymour Solomon Jr. would prove that he deserved to be on the team when he would send one to deep right field to increase the lead to 7-2 in the top of the 5th. Beau Banglesdorf would fight right back when he would give himself and his team an additional 2 runs from his shot to deep right center field to decrease the gap to 7-4.

The West would secure the lead to take home the game in the bottom of the 6th as they would send 8 batters to the plate and 4 would cross the plate in some fashion including having an East coach come out and yell at the home plate umpire about the call and getting “ejected” from the game.

The MVP for the West would be Beau Banglesdorf as he would have one of the 2 multiple run home runs of the game and would reach multiple times throughout the game.

All Star weekend continues today at 4:45 with the Home Run Derby, 7:30 with the Hall of Fame Ceremony and the All Star Game at 8 pm. For more details, please see the 2022 All Star Game feature under News.

Some favorite quotes throughout the game:
“He’s talkin’, he didn’t even see,” *proceeds to scream down the 1st base line.* - home plate umpire
*ball gets pitched outside* “Nope! – home plate umpire
*hits ball poorly and knows it before stepping out of the box* “custom cuss word here” -many of the Veteran players

By Jen Chan
With the final game of the regular season for the Clover Dome hosting the Bridgewater Reds it was a true battle that no one saw coming until the final 2 frames of the game. Both teams did not have many of their key players in the game that would decide who was 2nd for the championship bracket.
 
The Bucks would get the runs across the board first after Reds pitcher Logan Phelps struggled during the first inning to get his bearings. Lucas Clark, longtime friend of Phelps, would get hit, then Kevin Kirk would be walked to put 2 runners on base before there is a ball in-play. Drew Easter would then score both runners on a shot to left center field. Luke Shifflett would do the same the opposite way and score Easter to give the Bucks the 3-0 lead before Cody Swisher would strikeout giving the first out of the inning. Bryce Suters would then be walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd for John Siciliano to ground one over to 2nd base, gaining a fielding error, and loading up the bases with one out. Ross French would be walked and get an RBI to make the score 4-0. Alex Knicely would ground one to 2nd base and fielders choice would get French out at 2nd leaving runners on the corners and scoring Suters. Siciliano and Knicely would be stranded on base as Clark gets the final out of the bottom of the first but not after 5 cross the board for the Bucks and go around the line up once.

After 3 and a half innings including 2 errors, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 1 hit by pitch we make it to the bottom of the 5th inning. For the second time in the game Suters gets walked but this time from Sam Imeson, who would be the 2nd Buck pitcher this game. Siciliano would hit a standup double to right center field and score Suters for his second run this game. The inning would end with 2 strikeouts, a walk, and a flyout to right field from Knicely.

Another 2 inning span of no runs would be stopped when the Reds were able to make contact with the ball in the top of the 8th. After 2 consecutive 5 pitch walks from L. Shifflett, Liam Simpson was able to battle back in a 9-pitch at bat to hit one towards Koice Quintanilla who would touch 3rd base to get the lead runner out. Chris Huffman would then line one out to left field and would score D. Shifflett easily as Simpson would stay on 2nd. Caleb Swartley would bring in 2 more runs off another hit to right field to cut the Bucks lead in half, but the Reds still had some momentum going for them. Adding an additional walk and putting runners on 1st and 2nd, Jack Carpin would shoot one off the tall wall in left field and score the final run for the Reds in the top of the 8th before Tucker Hrasky would get in a rhythm and shut them out the remainder of the game.

The Bucks would put 6 pitchers on the mound through the entire game to get their pitching staff prepared for the most important week of games. “Today is a staff day. We are just trying to get everyone some game time before the race for the championship,” said starting pitcher Reid Long.

The Valley Care Management Player of the Game is John Siciliano. Siciliano went 3 for 3 and reaching base 4 times. He played all around the field and was able to bring in 2 runs off 2 hits with both hits being doubles.

The Reds will be on the road on Monday against New Market to finish out the regular season to determine who is 3rd seed for the bracket, as the Bucks finish out the season in 2nd seed for the bracket play. Don’t forget to catch All Star weekend starting tomorrow night at Ruritan Park at 7:30 for the Veterans Game.

By Jen Chan
When asked how he think his team would do Stuarts Draft manager, Leslie Sandridge, stated “a game is a game. I will put 9 on the field and something will happen. Win or lose it’s a ball game,” yet little did he know how the game would fall out.

The Diamondbacks would strike first getting a huge lead in the bottom of the 3rd as Calen Owens gets walked by Reds starting pitcher Nick Griffin. Owens advances on a fielder’s choice throw from Derek Shifflett at 2nd base. He then steals 3rd as Terrell Thompson is up to bat getting himself 90 feet closer to home with 1 out. As a strikeout is given to Jack Pausic, Chaz Harvey uses the 2 out to his advantage and shoots one deep into center field to get the Diamondbacks their extended lead over the Reds in the bottom of the 3rd.

Noah Cornwell fights back in the top of the 4th as he hits one towards right field as it pops over the fence before anyone can blink. The rest of the inning is uneventful for the Reds as they leave Cayden Clements on 1st base. The bottom of the 4th Cadlee Jarvis was left stranded on 3rd after getting walked as the Reds defense has Nick Griffin’s back.

Jacob Dunford started off the 5th by walking Derek Shifflett, then Liam Simpson would then hit one though the gap on the right side of the infield. Blake Sipe would get the 1st out of the inning off of a flyout to right center field, this would let Shifflett advance to 3rd. Shifflett would then score on a sac fly to left field from Corbin Lucas to close the score 2-3. Simpson would then try to steal 2nd with Noah Cornwell up to bat and would get caught.

A scoreless bottom of the 5th and entire 6th inning would speed up the game from the long first few innings. A great start for Dunford as he strikes out the first batter in the 7th, but loses momentum for Greg Sherfey and Derek Shifflett as they both end up on base. Both runners advance off of a wild pitch with Simpson up to bat. With their excellent base running, both runners are able to score on the Simpson single to right center field. This 2 run inning gives the Reds their first lead of the game 4-3.

After an easy up and down from the bottom of the 7th and top of the 8th the Diamondbacks fight back to regain their lead. A throwing error helps advance 2 runners, Zach Roberts and Thompson after both steal 2nd base in their own time and a grounder that is placed so perfectly gets past the 3rd basemen Corbin Lucas scores 2 as Roberts and Thompson step across home plate. The final run comes from Ryan Farris as he grounds out but scores Pausic.

The top of the 9th starts off slow with a walk to Chris Huffman from pitcher Farris to put the tying run in the box and he delivers. Cayden Swartley gets his 5th hit of the season and his 1st home run to tie the game at 6-6. The Diamondbacks were unable to secure a run in the bottom of the 9th.

Extra innings in RCBL means international rule for both teams as they both place runners on 2nd base. With 1 out, Cornwell is intentionally walked putting 2 runners on base and infielders playing double play distance. Clements scores Sipe from 2nd off a hit to left center field. Both runners advance on wild pitch and walks Huffman to load the bases. Swartley then shoots one to deep left field just shy of the warning track and scores Cornwell. Runners advance again on wild pitches, but will be unable to score anymore runs as the top of the inning ends in a K.

The bottom of the 10th puts Thompson on 2nd base. Pausic smacks one into DEEP center field and scores Roberts with a stand up double. Harvey was intestinally walked to replicate what the Diamondbacks did in the top of the inning. Marshall then grounds out to 1st base, but both runners advance into scoring position. Jarvis hits one into right field and scores the winning run as Simpson fumbles the ball in right field.

The Valley Care Management Player of the Game is Cadlee Jarvis.

The Diamondbacks will be on the road for their final game of regular season tonight at Shifflett Field with first pitch at 7:30. The Reds have 3 more games, including one next Monday after the All Star weekend. They will be traveling to New Market tonight to take on the Shockers.

By Jen Chan
The Bridgewater Reds hosted the Montezuma Braves in a game that many did not think would happen. After a severe thunderstorm warning and the other RCBL game being canceled the Reds and Braves waited out the rain and it was game time, only 30 minutes behind schedule. Even with being 30 minutes behind schedule the game ended at the normal 10 pm mark to end the evening.

The game started off slow for the Braves as their first batter of the game, Kyle Armstrong, was walked to first and ended up being stranded on 2nd after a sac bunt from Hunter Clever. Jonathan Sexton would then be walked to put 2 runners on base, but Red’s pitcher Derek Shifflett would stop that to get his first 2 strikeouts of the game to end the top of the first.

The Reds would start off the scoring in the bottom of the first as Liam Simpson would make it to 1st on a bobble over to 2nd base that was placed oddly for Isaiah Blanks to throw over to 1st. Simpson would then make it to 3rd on a hit from Blake Sipe to right field and would make it home on a fielding error from Tyler Smith. On the same fielding error, Smith would make it to 2nd base but would not make it any farther as the next 2 batters would groundout and strike out, respectively.

More action for the Reds in the bottom of the 2nd as Shifflett would reach 1st base on a fielding error on the throw from 3rd to 1st. Nick Griffin would then get ground one in the infield to move Shifflett into scoring position. Greg Sherfey would reach on the 3rd error of the game as Shifflett scores the insurance run in the bottom of the 2nd. The errors that the Braves made were put to great use for the Reds to give them the 2-0 advantage going into the remainder of the game.

With only being down 2 runs, the Braves knew that it was their time to put themselves on the board. Blanks would get things started in a shallow hit to center field but would later be out on a fielder’s choice off a hit from Armstrong. With great base running, Armstrong was able to easily steal 2nd base. Clever walks to 1st to put 2 runners on base. Sexton would then shoot one into right center field to get himself to 1st. A misguided throw from the outfield takes an odd hop on the pitchers mound and gives all of the runners the ability to advance and scores Armstrong. Clever is unable to cross home plate as he is tagged out before the right-hand batter’s box.

The score would remain 2-1 in favor of the Reds for the remainder of the night with Derek Shifflett being selected as the Valley Care Management Player of the Game for his 12 strikeouts over 9 innings of work and his multitude of stops at the mound. He also helped his team score the winning run of the game in the 2nd inning.

“I just keep throwing pitches. The more I throw the less my arm hurts,” said Reds pitcher Derek Shifflett after the 9 innings of work for tonight’s game as he was eating his post-game meal from the concession stand.

The Reds will host their final home game of the season on Thursday July 14 starting at 7:30 pm, while the Braves will host the Bucks at Ruritan Field on Saturday July 16 at 7:30 pm.

By Leyton Pullin
The Grottoes Cardinals defeated the Broadway Bruins 16-4 Friday night behind their explosive offensive attack.​

Spencer Williams got the start for Grottoes and got behind the eight ball early walking the first two hitters he faced. Trevor Thomas, the starter for the Bruins, came to the dish next and connected with an RBI single to knock in the lead-off man, Tyler Stobbs, to put the Bruins out in front. After that, Williams settled in punching out the next two hitters he faced and retiring the side only allowing a single Broadway run.

The bottom of the first was the true difference-maker in the ballgame. The Cardinals pushed across nine runs and sent 13 hitters to the plate. Cam Irvine, Eli Lam, Witt Scafidi and Dalton Nicely all tallied an RBI single in the frame while David Wood and Dylan Nicely picked up two RBIs a piece to account for the nine runs as every Grottoes hitter reached base in one form during the frame. 

Williams began to settle in after gaining massive run support from his offense. He would only allow one run in his next three innings of work and take the win. Williams added six total strikeouts and only two hits in an up and down outing.

Grottoes continued to pad the lead right away in the second frame as Boogie Saunders was hit by a pitch and proceeded to do only as Boogie Saunders does by cleanly stealing second and third base. On his slide into third, the throw from Tillman Butler would hit Saunders in the head and leave the field of play allowing him to walk home on the dead ball to make it 10-1.

The Cardinals would bring all nine hitters to the plate in the third tagging on four more including RBI base knocks from Ty Lam and Saunders to make it a 14-2 game.

In the top of the fifth, the Cardinals would make a move to the bullpen bringing in Andrew Baugher who struck out the first hitter he faced. Second to the dish was Jaden Nixon who battled in a two-strike count before he crushed a ball into the night sky for a solo home run making it 14-3. 

The Bruins tagged on another run in the top of the sixth on a Brody Bower single that would score Noah Hertzler to cut the lead to 10. 

Tucker Garrison would pinch-hit in the bottom half of the frame for Grottoes and would get in on the scoring with a two-run home run to right field to also bring in Saunders and stretch the lead to 16-4.

Baugher would shut down the Bruins in the seventh retiring the side in order to finish the game.

Broadway drops to 6-12 on the season with the loss with six games left on the regular-season schedule. They will be back in action on Sunday as they host the Stuarts Diamondbacks (10-4) who currently sit atop the league standings.

“We swung it really well from the beginning and guys were not trying to do too much,” said Grottoes manager Tim Nicely.

Irvine led the Cardinals offensively with three RBIs in a 2-for-3 night at the plate. Saunders also added a 2-for-2 game with three stolen bases.

Looking ahead for the Cardinals they sit at an even .500 at 7-7 with 10 games left on the schedule. Nicely talked about some of the struggles the team faced during the opening stages of the season including scheduling conflicts with high school players and a tough stretch of four games in seven days and with that says he feels okay to be where they are. 

By Jen Chan
A quick trip up to New Market, Virginia for the first RCBL radio game of the season has been the shortest of all the broadcast games thus far. With being just under 180 minutes the Clover Hill Bucks were able to outrun the home team, New Market Shockers, in a 5-3 victory.

How it happened:
The game started off strong for the Bucks off of a lead-off double from Josh Eberly to left field but would be stranded on 2nd after 3 consecutive outs. The bottom half of the 1st would look the same with Kaden Spaid blooping one into shallow center field with one out. The inning would end in a double play off of a hit from Dawson Russell at Eberly who would throw it to 1st to get the out.

After a 3 up, 3 down top of the 2nd, Nick Goode would get the game started with a quick sprint over to 2nd base off a great hit to left center field. He would then score off a single to left center field from Harrison Madagan. The inning would end leaving Shockers’ MVP Brodie Pullen on 2nd base.

With quick work from both pitchers and each batter not having a high pitch count, the bottom of the 4th inning came quicker than realized. This is where the Shockers would score their final runs of the night. First up was Russell who would ground one to 3rd baseman Kevin Navedo but would reach on a throwing error. Pearce Bucher would then give himself a bunt single to advance Russell to second for Madagan who got on base from a pitch that took a piece of him. With the bases loaded, Pullen would draw a 4 pitch walk for his only RBI this game. Bucher would then steal home on a wild pitch and Ethan Burgreen would steal 2nd on a wild pitch to Nate Brookshire. With 2 runners in scoring position with 2 outs, Steven Woerner would do the trick and get his 4th K of the night.

The Bucks were able to hold the Shockers the remainder of the game and would rally their team to scoring some clutch runs in the top of the 6th inning. Navedo would rocket one into left field with one out. Shockers’ pitcher Aiden Henry would then give his first and only walk of the game to Luke Shifflett to put 2 runners on base for John Siciliano to pop one sky high to right center field. Pullen calls it in right center field, gets his glove on it, but is unable to hang onto it as Navedo crosses the plate to give the Bucks their first run of the night. With Shifflett and Siciliano in scoring position, Cody Swisher takes a ball to the back to load the bases. Micah Canterbury would send a sac fly to score Shifflett followed by a 2 RBI double down the 3rd base line by Alex Knicely to give the Bucks their first lead of the game.

The insurance run for the Bucks was scored in the top of the 8th after Siciliano would make it on base off an infield hit, advance to 2nd on a sac bunt from Swisher and would score off a RBI single to left field from Canterbury.

Siciliano would cross home twice, as both Canterbury and Knicely would walk away with 2 RBIs this game.

The Valley Care Management Player of the Game would be Woerner with his first start of the game with 8 innings worked allowing 6 hits and 3 runs cross the plate.

The Shockers are back in action tomorrow, June 30 at Broadway Highschool as they play the Broadway Bruins. The Bucks will play at Ray Heatwole Park on Friday July 1 with both games starting at 7:30 pm.

By Jen Chan
The Bridgewater Reds and the Clover Hill Bucks battled this Friday evening for 1st place in the RCBL.

The Reds would get on the board first as Grey Sherfey would double to Jacob Grabeel in center field. Derek Shifflett would then sacrifice to advance Sherfey. After a walk to Brett Tharp, Corbin Lucas shot one to right center field to move them to 1-0 in the ball game. The top of the inning would end in strikeouts to Blake Sipe and Noah Cornwell stranding 2 runners left on base.

The next run in the 4th inning would come from Liam Simpson of the Reds after he singled in the 5/6 gap. He would then steal 2nd and steal 3rd from a wild pitch to Jordan Yankey. He would then score on a fly out to right field from Sherfey.

No runs would be scored until the bottom of the 6th. Jose Rocha would be walked to start off, the first lead-off batter to be walked the entire game. A bauk would move Rocha to 2nd and later would steal 3rd off of a early lead. A line drive from Drew Easter to left field would score Rocha to decrease the Reds lead to 2-1.

The first 2 batters for the Reds would go down with a groundout and a strikeout. This would leave 2 ours with Lucas up to bat. After fighting off a few pitches Lucas would shoot one to left center field. With everyone thinking that it would hit the ground Eberly would be running to grab it with everything he got as he dives for it to end the top of the 7th.

The bottom half of the 7th would start out the same way for the Bucks. With 2 outs Grabeel would hit a ground ball to 3rd, but the weird hops it takes to get there would leave Grabeel safe at 1st. He would then steal 2nd on a wild pitch to Eberly. Eberly would hit one all the way to the wall in left field, but great tracking from Sipe would get the 3rd out of the inning.

The 8th inning would bring the lead-off batter for the Reds, Sipe to knock a solo home run over the taller fence in left field to increase the Bridgewater lead to 3-1. The top of the inning would end with 3 ground outs and the bottom portion of the inning would end with 1 K, a groundout, and a shot right back towards Tyler Conley on the mound.

The Reds would end up scoring 2 insurance runs in the top of the 9th as Derek Shifflett would launch one in the 3-4 gap to make its way to right field. Shifflett would then steal 2nd after Conley overthrows the ball to Swisher at 1st. With great base running and a slip a few feet away from 1st base Shifflett makes it to 2nd base by a mere second. The next 3 batters would then be walked to score Shifflett on an RBI walk from Sipe. Tharp gains the final run for the Reds when he gets into Conley’s head and causes Conley to throw back to 3rd but overthrows it to advance the runners once again.

With the last chance to battle back against the Reds, the Bucks start off the bottom of the 9th with a groundout to Lucas at 3rd. Kevin Kirk is able to his a speedy grounder to Lucas, but Lucas is unable to make the throw over to Cornwell in time to put 1 runner aboard with 1 out. Lucas Clark puts one in the left side gap to put 2 runners on base. Both runners are able to advance off a wild pitch to Ross French. French is able to get a ball in play and is called safe at first. The Reds did not agree with the call made at first and went to appeal it, but the ball was still live. The runners were able to advance once again and added a run onto the board. With runners at 2nd and 3rd Grabeel comes in clutch with his hit into shallow right field to score the final run of the game.

The Bucks tried to battle back to continue their winning streak but were unable to connect their hits as the 8 and 9 hole hitters, Tanner Montgomery and Grabeel, were the only ones on the Bucks able to have a multi-hit game.

The Valley Care Management Player of the Game: Derek Shifflett – 7 innings pitched, 5 K, 1 walk, and 1 unearned run. Honorable Mention: Blake Sipe – a clutch grab in the 7th & solo home run in the 8th.

The Bucks are back in action tonight at Buck Bowman Park to face the Stuarts Draft Diamondback starting at 7:30. The Reds will host the shockers on June 21 with game time starting at 7:30.

By Leyton Pullin
The Grottoes Cardinals defeated the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks 14-3 on Tuesday night.
The Cardinals hopped on the board early in the top of the second as Witt Scafidi clobbered a ball to left field for a solo home run to make it 1-0.

Scafidi was the heart of the Cardinals offense all night as he came up in the top of the fourth with a runner on and ripped a RBI double to score Eli Lam stretching the Cardinals lead to 2-0. Later in the inning Garrett Huffman would sacrifice his at bat on a RBI sac fly to score Scafidi making it 3-0 Grottoes.

In the bottom half of the fourth the DBacks would respond with a long ball of their own as Ryan Farris crushed a solo shot to put Stuarts Draft on the board 3-1.

After the top of the fifth went down in order the DBacks had another chance with a lead off single by Terrell Thompson but he would get caught stealing and the DBacks would strand two. 

That would also end the night for Stuarts Draft starter Trevor Vernon as Jacob Dunford took over in the top of the sixth. Dylan Nicely took the first pitch of the inning for a solo home run to make it 4-1. After a dropped fly ball the inning would take a turn allowing three more Cardinals runs to score unearned making it 7-1.

In the top of the seventh Grottoes would add another as Scafidi hit into a fielder's choice allowing Cam Irvine to score and make it 8-1 Cardinals.

Stuarts Draft had another opportunity in the bottom of the seventh after a Will Hass walk and a Farris single but would leave two runners stranded for the fourth time on the night. In total the DBacks would go on to leave 14 runners left on base on the night.

Stuarts Draft would struggle to get an out in the top of the eighth until Scafidi hit a sac fly for his third RBI of the night. In total the Cardinals pushed across six in the frame to make it 14-1.

The DBacks would get a chance in the bottom of the eighth as 2021 RCBL MVP Zach Roberts singled, driving in Tyler Wilcher. Later in the inning Hass followed with a RBI single of his own scoring Grayson Bush to make it 14-3 before the side was retired and the game was ended.

Scafidi’s hot night at the plate ultimately drove the Cardinals offense as he went 2 for 4 officially at the plate with three RBI. Dylan Nicely added two RBI of his own while Huffman and Lam each went 2 for 5 at the fish with a RBI. Trey Deane (1-0) picks up the win after tossing 2.2 scoreless. Grottoes (4-3) will have quite a bit of time off before they take on Montezuma on Sunday June 19. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. 

For Stuarts Draft (5-3) Thompson led the team at the plate going 3 for 4. Hass also added a multiple hit performance as well. Vernon took the loss for the DBacks despite a quality 5 IP start giving up three earned runs. Manager Les Sandridge and company will be back at it on short rest on Wednesday as they host the Bridgewater Reds. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

By Leyton Pullin
The Grottoes Cardinals have been known for lighting up the scoreboard over the past few seasons but Montezuma pitcher Elijah Dunlap held the Cardinals scoreless in a complete game for a 7-0 victory on Sunday.

The Braves knocked on the door a few times in the four innings but didn’t push any runners across.

Dunlap got his first run support in the top of the fifth as Adam Dofflemeyer took over on the mound for the Cardinals. Back-to-back singles by Gavin Rush and Andrew Barrese put two Braves aboard. A Hunter Clever walk later in the inning loaded the bases for Jonathan Sexton. Sexton delivered with a two RBI single to put the Braves up 2-0.

Later in the inning Connor Houser delivered with a two RBI base knock of his own to score Clever and Sexton stretching the Montezuma lead to 4-0.

In the top of the eighth the Braves would strike again, this time with two outs in the frame. Barrese would single driving Cude in to score putting the Braves lead to 5-0.

Grottoes would have a chance to put a run on the board in the bottom of the eighth as Jacob Merica singled and would advance all the way to third before he was stranded on a Cam Irvine ground out to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth Logan Jones delivered a base knock that got away from Merica in left field, allowing Sexton and Clever to score to extend the lead to 7-0.

Dunlap (1-1) went from start to finish for the Braves, only allowing six hits. The Bridgewater Eagle only allowed one walk and struck out two, relying on his defense.

Offensively for the Braves Sexton, Jones and Houser each had two RBI. Barrese also went 3 for 5 at the plate with an RBI.

Adam Dofflemeyer takes the loss for Grottoes and drops to 0-1 on the season.

Dalton Nicely was the only Cardinal with multiple hits, going 2 for 3 at the dish. 

Montezuma (2-6) will enjoy an off day Monday before hosting the Broadway Bruins (2-5) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Grottoes (3-3) will also be back in action on Tuesday as they will travel to Stuarts Draft to take on the Diamondbacks (5-2). First pitch from the Diamond Club is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

By Jen Chan
After another slow start to the game, the Cardinals were able to get on the score board first in the top of the 2nd inning after 2 RBI single from Dalton Nicely just beyond the glove of Gavin Rush. Nicely would later be stranded on 1st to end the inning.

The Cardinals would not score another run until the top of the 4th as a lead off hit from Garrett Harrison puts him on base after hitting it above Rush’s head about 4 feet, but unable to secure it in his mitt as he came down. David Wood would advance Harrison to 2nd on a fielding error from Isaiah Blanks. Another error in this inning went to Jacob Cude would give Nicely a single and score Huffman on an error with smart base running and only 1 out. The Cardinals would end the inning by stranding 2 runners on base but did move the score in their favor of 3-0.

The final few runs for the Cardinals came from the top of the 5th as Dylan Nicely made it to 1st on a throwing error from Rush. He would later steal 2nd on an inside pitch to Wit Scafidi. Scafidi would make it on base off a fielding error from Blanks to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Huffman would then battle at the plate and send the ball deep into right center field for a 3-run home run to move the Cardinals ahead 6-0.

The bottom of the 5th inning started with a “lazy liner towards (Eli) Lam,” from Logan Jones to get the first out. Cude would then get a base hit towards Cam Herron and steal second on an error. A throwing error would be made off a hit from Kyle Armstrong. The bases would be loaded as Blanks would be walked, but Hunter Clever would be unable to put the ball in play to end the inning with bases loaded.

After a quick 6th inning from both teams and a 3 up – 3 down scene from the Cardinals in the top of the 7th, the Braves were able to make way into scoring their runs. Cude started off the inning with a lead-off hit to shallow right field. Rush then lined low past Huffman into left field to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Armstrong would bunt towards the typical spot for the short stop, but there would be no fielder there to advance the runners, loading the bases with no outs. Blanks would then make up for the errors in the previous innings with a shot to the fence giving him a 3 RBI stand up double. Blanks would then steal 2nd and eventually the bases would be loaded once again after 2 strikeouts and 2 walks. Blanks would later score off another drawn walk from Jones to decrease the lead to 6-4 in favor of the Cardinals. With the bases loaded again and the order for the Braves gone around fully once, they were unable to score any additional runs.

The 8th and 9th innings of the game came quickly and ended just over 2 hours after the game started. The Cardinals increase their season record to 3-2 as the Braves drop another one to put them at a 1-6 season record.

Both teams will be on the field again tomorrow at 6:30 at Shifflett field.