ARNOLD, MD – The Anne Arundel Community College scored 14-straight runs to rally past visiting CCBC Dundalk in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, scoring seven runs in the fifth en route to a 14-10 victory. In the day's opener, the Lions chipped away at an early Riverhawks' lead to take the game, 7-5, in nine innings.
Dundalk took a 7-0 lead after one in the nightcap, cranking out six hits in the frame. The Lions extended their lead to eight with an RBI single in the second.
AACC went to work in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs in a two-out rally on a wild pitch and a three-run double to center from EJ Santana. The Riverhawks took advantage of a pair of errors and a sac fly from Lennie Lehner to trail, 8-6.
But it was in the fifth when the Riverhawks exploded for seven runs. AACC earned six walks in the frame, and saw AJ Zeak drive in a pair of runs on a double to left.
Heads up baserunning sent Brian Connolly across on a wild pitch in the sixth, making it 14-8 in favor of the home team.
A pair of unearned runs by Dundalk in the seventh cut the Riverhawks' lead to four, but Cam Rees struck out the final batter to seal the win.
Reliever Matt Johnson earned the victory, striking out three while allowing one run on four hits through four innings. Starter Tony Puciloski went one inning, striking out two but surrendering seven runs on six hits. Rees closed out the final two innings, giving up two runs on two hits.
Santana drove in four runs in the game, while Lehner and Zeak drove in two each.
In the opener, Tripp Templeton hit a three-run home run in the third to cap a four-run inning for the Riverhawk. The Lions plated one in the fifth before AACC turned a double play to get out of the inning. Dundalk tied it up in the seventh with a pair of extra-base hits. The Riverhawks had runners in scoring position in the bottom of the inning, but left two on the bases as the game headed to the eighth.
A sac fly lifted the Lions to a 5-4 lead in the eighth before two quick flyouts ended the threat. Rees answered with a two-out sac fly in the eighth to keep the game in check.
A pair of doubles among three hits in the ninth pushed the Lions ahead, 7-5. Zeak led off the bottom of the inning with a double to far left, but the Lions retired the next three batters in order.
Starter Gavin Umphries struck out a season-high six batters in three hitless innings. Dylan Dilts took over in the fourth, allowing a pair of runs on five hits while striking out two. Templeton fanned four and walked one in the final three innings, shouldering the loss with five runs on six hits.
Lehner, Connolly, and Jon Alderman all had two hits on the day, with Lehner driving in one.
AACC is back in action in a 1 pm doubleheader against CCBC Essex at Skip Brown Field on Wednesday, March 24th.