Box Score FREDERICK, Md. - The Catholic University baseball team could not hold on after a three-run seventh inning Tuesday evening as the Hood Blazers came back to win a midweek contest 6-5.
Senior Bailey Lewis hit a double and triple to drive in a run for the Cardinals (0-3) and sophomore Cole Campbell added two hits, a walk, and an RBI in four at-bats to lead the team.
On the mound, junior Chris Kelly got the start for the first time in his Catholic career, giving the team three scoreless innings. The West Nyack, N.Y., native gave up two hits, walked two, and struck out three batters.
The visitors struck first in the top of the second inning after junior Connor Sullivan got on with a walk. After a Hood error and a sacrifice bunt got Sullivan to third, sophomore Tighe Watson grounded out to push a run across for a 1-0 lead. The Blazers (1-0) leveled the score at 1-1 in the fifth frame.
In the sixth, Campbell led off with a walk, stole second base, and advanced to third on a throwing error. That was enough for junior Jeff Guile, whose single drove in a run to take a 2-1 lead. Hood again followed, however, with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game.
Catholic made its move with a big seventh inning, scoring three to extend the lead to 5-2. Junior Cid Porter came up first and singled to right center. Senior Ryan Tracy bunted to move the runner over, but an errant throw allowed Tracy to move to third and Porter scored. Lewis then smashed a triple to center field to bring home his fellow senior. After a Hood pitching change, Campbell kept it going with a single to left that scored Lewis.
Senior pitcher Colin Cunningham replaced classmate Collin Brown for the seventh frame, and an error allowed an unearned run to score to make the game 5-3. Junior Jack Ropelewski was charged with the loss after a tough eigth inning, giving up three runs on four hits.
Campbell got his second single with two outs in the top of the ninth and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, but was stranded as Hood held on to win its first game of the year, 6-5.
Catholic takes to the field again this Saturday, March 2 for a doubleheader on the road against McDaniel. The games will be played at Blandair Regional Park in Columbia, Md., with the first contest set to start at noon.
