Cardinals Fall to Lake Sumter

CCBC Catonsville's baseball team fell to Lake Sumter State College on Wednesday by a score of 14-6. The loss drops the Cardinals to 0-3 on the year after they lost their season-opening double-header against Seminole State College.

Trailing 8-1 entering the seventh, the Cardinals nearly completed a comeback until the bottom of the inning, where the Lake Hawks unloaded six runs to put the Cardinals away.

Catonsville would strike first in the top of the third, as sophomore outfielder Trenton Snyder (Oak Park) singled down the left side to bring home sophomore catcher Alex Valdez (Blair). The lead lasted till the bottom of the fourth, where a two-run homerun gave the Lake Hawks their first lead. The breaks came off in the bottom of the fifth as the Cardinals allowed five runs.

By the start of the seventh inning, the Cardinals trailed 8-1. Snyder got the comeback attempt started on an RBI single, his second of the game. Freshman shortstop Joel Tapia Melo (Freedom) then doubled to left center, bringing another run home. The comeback continued when sophomore first baseman Nick Stergiou (Broadneck) singled to left field, bringing home both Snyder and Melo to make it an 8-5 game. Catonsville was right back into the contest.

But the bottom of the seventh inning would not be kind to the Cardinals. Lake Sumter scored six unanswered runs to pull away 14-5. The Cardinals would finally respond in the top of the ninth when a fielder's choice by Valdez brought home another run. It would not be enough, as freshman outfielder Jake Long (Arundel) struck out to end the game.

The Cardinals will wrap up their season-opening road trip on Thursday as they face Rollins College JV.