MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - After allowing four runs in the top of the eighth inning to give up a lead they had held since the second inning, Catholic's
Joe Marini saved the day, crushing a three-run shot to right to push Catholic to an 8-7 victory over Coast Guard on its final day at the Ripken Experience.
Down to its final out against Aidan Andersen, freshman
Matt Perlin drew a walk to give Catholic a base runner.
Zach Burton followed with a single to left, bringing Marini into the box. Marini drilled his second home run of the week, putting Catholic back ahead 8-6.
Brendan Martin came on to close things out for Catholic, allowing a run on a Caron Cho two-out single, but Martin struck out Nathan Stafford to strand the tying run at third and finish off the 8-7 win.
Catholic held a 5-2 lead after seven innings of play against unbeaten Coast Guard thanks to a tremendous start from right-hander
Cody Bosak. The junior tossed 7.0 strong innings, allowing just one earned run and scattering four hits while striking out nine.
Coast Guard pushed four runs across on three hits against two pitchers in the eighth to claw its way back, ultimately taking a 6-5 lead into the ninth. Jack Steel led the inning off with a double against
Sean Murphy before scoring on a two-run single off the bat of Stafford. Now leading 5-4, Catholic went back to the bullpen, calling on
Jake Kenney. Kenney struck out Richard Barkley for the second out of the inning, but Parker Madden caught a piece of one, taking it deep to make it 6-5.
The Cardinals did the brunt of their early damage in the second inning, scoring four runs to take a 4-1 lead.
Sammy Burman laced a double to start the inning and moved up to third on a
Michael Napolitano single.
Jesse Lacefield tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single, scoring Burman.
Justin McCarthy walked to load the bases and Burton ripped a one-out double to clear the bases, putting Catholic ahead by three.
Napolitano drove in Catholic's fifth run of the game with an RBI double to left-center, scoring Burman who reached on a hit-by-pitch.
Catholic totaled nine hits on the day as Burton logged his second consecutive three-hit performance. Napolitano had a multi-hit day while Marini drew two walks to go with his homer and three RBI. The Cardinals improve to 8-3 on the season and close out a 4-1 trip to South Carolina.
Catholic opens up Landmark Conference play on Saturday when Juniata comes to D.C.
