AUBURNDALE, FL - The Cavaliers nearly missed picking up the sweep over Lyndon State College in today's doubleheader, that featured a solid pitching performance backed by good defense in game one and a comeback attempt that fell just short in game two. 

Game One: Cabrini 5, Lyndon State 4
The Cavs received a huge performance from their game one starter Josh Breittholz, who went the distance tossing a complete game, allowing four earned runs on 12 hits, while striking out five. 

Lyndon State struck first, picking up a run in the games opening frame. Devon Rollins started things off for the Hornets with a leadoff double to left field. Breittholz retired the next two hitters via strikeouts and was poised to escape the inning without damage until Trevor Markey picked up Rollins with a two-out RBI single to left center, giving the Hornets the early 1-0 lead. 

The Blue and White would immediately answer in their half of the inning as Jake Dohar got things started with a one out double down the left field line. Dylan Butler was next up to bat for the Cavs and ripped a sharp grounder to the shortstop. Butler was able to reach base safely thanks to a throwing error on the play that also allowed Dohar to score from second, knotting things up at one apiece. After a Butler steal, Jamal Lamar put the ball in play to the second baseman who also booted the throw, allowing Butler to score and giving the Cavs the 2-1 lead in the process. 

After a shaky start to the top of the third, Breittholz found himself with a runner on third and no outs. Needing a strikeout, Breittholz double-dipped as he punched out the next two hitters he faced and escaped the inning forcing a groundout.

The Hornets did tie the game at two in the top of the third thanks to a RBI single from Markey.

An inning later the Hornets struck for two runs as they opened the inning with a triple from Codi Smith. Two batters later, Breittholz made a great play and fielded a comeback liner from Jake Perkins, but muffed the throw to the first baseman, allowing Smith to score and Perkins to advance to second. The Hornets Ryan Cordeiro then singled home Perkins making it a 4-2 ball game. 

It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth that the Cavs mounted their comeback and took the lead for good. Erick Vicario led things off with a pinch-hit infield single. Casey Plunkett, pinch hitting for Michael Mescia, came through with a singled up the middle that allowed Vicario to advance to third. With runners on first and third and nobody out, Shaun Stackhouse brought home Vicario with a RBI single to left. Two consecutive strikeouts from the Cavs no. 2 and 3 hitters put the pressure on Tyler Norris to deliver. The sophomore came through with a two out, two RBI go-ahead double into left center. 

The 5-4 lead is all the Cavaliers would need to secure the victory as Breittholz shut the door on the Hornets, going the distance in the process. 

Game Two: Cabrini 5, Lyndon State 6
Once again the Hornets managed to draw first blood as Rollins doubled to open up the game. After stealing second base, Andre Eason Jr. singled to left to bring home the game's first run. 

The Cavs, as they seem to do when they get down early, immediately responded as Norris walked to start things off. Norris, the Rio Grande, NJ native, decided to take things into his own hands as he stole both second and third to put himself in a prime position to score. The aggressive base running paid off for the Cavs as Jesse James Murphy poked a ball into left allowing Norris to score and tying the game at one apiece. 

After a clean bottom of the second and top of the third, Lyndon State struck for three runs off of three hits, two stolen bases and two Cavalier errors. 

The Cavs made up a run in their half of the fourth without recording a hit. Norris got on base thanks to being hit by a fastball and promptly advanced to second and third courtesy of two wild pitches. A Joe Aurite gounder to the right side was all Norris needed to score.

The Blue and White again added on a single run in the top of the fifth off of a Stackhouse double that score Vicario from second.

The Hornets made up those two runs in the bottom of the fifth as they pushed their lead back up to three after another Cavalier error and wild pitch extended the inning. 

Refusing to go down quietly, the Cavaliers opened the top of the sixth with a Norris single and followed that with a Lamar walk, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Aurite loaded the bases with a bunt single, catching the Hornets off guard.

Murphy stepped into the batters box next and kept the rally going with a clutch two RBI double down the right field line. Down just 6-5 with nobody out still, Lyndon State brought in pitcher Andrew Whalen, who picked up big strikeouts off of Alex DelGiudice and Darren Aupperle, swinging the momentum back in the Hornets favor. Whalen closed the door for the Hornets as he induced a routine groundout from Stackhouse and effectively ended the Cavs comeback. 

The Blue and White will have an off day tomorrow, but will be back on the diamond on Friday morning at 9am when it squares off against Waynesburg in the final game of their spring break trip.