The Details
Final Score: Riverhawks 6, CCBC Catonsville Cardinals 7
Updated Records: AACC 18-23 overall, 12-14 conference. Cardinals 22-25 overall, 12-14 conference
Location: Anne Arundel Community College – Arnold, MD
Box Score: Found here
Media Gallery:
Game Notes
AACC's Riverhawks dropped, 7-6, to the CCBC Catonsville Cardinals in the first round of the 2018 NJCAA DII Region XX Tournament this past Tuesday afternoon (5/8), after some late scoring by the Cardinals earned them the play-off win.
As the higher seed (No. 3) of the quarterfinal day, the Riverhawks played host and waited for the decision between the (6) Trojans of Allegany and (7) Cardinals for the first round match-up. The Cardinals displayed a dominating, 12-2, win over the Trojans – earning their next match-up against the Riverhawks.
AACC got things started in the bottom of the first inning with a RBI for Leonard Lehner (Edgewater, MD/South River) to score the first run of the day. A sacrifice fly RBI for Christopher Clyde (Columbia, MD/Oakland Mills) followed up with a RBI double for Dustin Gosnell (Pasadena, MD/Chesapeake) and the Riverhawks had the early 3-0 lead. A 2 RBI double for Brady Ward (Odenton, MD/Arundel) in the bottom of the second and AACC had given themselves a comfortable 5-0 lead after two.
Chipping away, including a solo homerun in the fifth, the Cardinals battled their way back while holding the Riverhawk's strictly to their early five runs, putting the score 5-3 heading into the top of the seventh. After consistently scoring one run each inning since the fourth, the Cardinals then put up, what would prove to be a devastating three runs against the Riverhawks in the top of the seventh.
Now down 6-5 and still holding onto the five runs from the debut innings, AACC captain Ryan Richardson (Pasadena, MD/Chesapeake) would work to get the momentum back for his team as he absolutely blasted a line drive home run in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 6 a piece.
Refusing to give up, the Cardinals responded to Richardson's homer by scoring one in the top of the ninth reclaiming them the lead, 7-6, in hopes they could hold the Riverhawks off to claim their spot in the Region Semi-Finals.
With their season on the line, it came down to the bottom of the ninth for the Riverhawks – down by one. Despite getting a piece of the ball twice, the Cardinal fielding were able to close it out and earn the 7-6 win.
It was a respectable win for the Cardinals with their ten hits and zero errors on the day against the Riverhawks four hits and three errors.
Up Next
It was an unfortunate, earlier than expected, ending to the Riverhawk season but with some impressive performances all year, AACC Athletics is eager for Conference and Regional accolades to be announced.
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