WINTER HAVEN, FL - The Cabrini baseball team split a double header matchup this afternoon against Franklin College in Winter Haven, Florida.
Game One: Franklin College 10, Cabrini 9
The Cavaliers nearly capped a ninth inning comeback in game one against Franklin College, but ultimately came up short as they fell by a 10-9 final.
The Cavs were led offensively by freshman
Christian Strickland who paired two hits with a game high five RBI's, highlighted by his first homerun in the Blue and White. Junior
Brendan Van Belle tallied a team best three hits in four at bats, while coming around to score three times. Junior
Mack McKisson rounded out the Cavs multiple hits after finishing 2-3 with two runs and a walk.
Junior
Mike Valerio was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs, three earned, in 2.1 innings.
The Blue and White opened the game with a pair of first inning runs thanks to an RBI ground out from Strickland and an RBI double to center from sophomore
Garrett Laraia.
Franklin responded in their half of the frame courtesy of an RBI ground out to make it a 2-1 Cabrini advantage.
The Grizzlies put up a crooked frame in the third as they plated five runs on just two hits, but capitalized on four Cabrini errors. A two run homer to left from Franklins' Nick Wright highlighted the inning for the hosts.
Cabrini cut their deficit to two runs in the top of the fourth inning following a pair of RBI singles from juniors
Sean Bernardo and
JD Barrett, but an ensuing three run bottom of the fourth from the Grizzlies stifled the Cavs momentum and pushed the hosts advantage to 9-4.
The Cavs would add a pair of runs in the fifth courtesy of Strickland's aforementioned homer, but another Grizzly RBI in the sixth pushed their lead back to four runs at 10-6. The Cavs mounted a seventh inning rally as senior
Shaun Stackhouse and McKisson led things off with a single and walk, respectively. Strickland promptly brought the pair home with a deep double to left center to trim the deficit to 10-8. Following a Laraia groundout that advanced Strickland to third, junior
Steven Priest delivered a hard hit ball to third. A misplay by the third baseman allowed Strickland to score and pull the Cavs to within a run at 10-9.
The Cavs rally would unfortunately end there, however as Franklins' Anthony Reinoehl would retire Barrett on a lineout to left left center for the games final out.
Game Two: Cabrini 12, Franklin College 6
The Cavs would get their revenge in the back end of the double header thanks to a 12-6 final featuring plenty of early action.
Laraia led the offense in game two after finishing 1-3 with three RBI's, two runs and two walks. Van Belle, Strickland and classmate
Brian Protesto tallied two hits apiece, with Protesto adding a pair of RBI's.
Sophomore
Nicholas Gares toed the rubber in game two and allowed two earned on just one hit. Classmate
Mike Gama collected the victory following a dominant showing in relief as he totaled seven strikeouts and allowed just one hit in four innings of work.
The Cavs opened the game with a four run first inning, as they took advantage of multiple Grizzley mistakes. Following an RBI single from Laraia, the Blue and White pushed three runs across on a pair of Franklin errors and a hit by pitch.
Franklin College answered with a pair of runs in the second, but a Protesto RBI single to right in the bottom of the frame helped to minimize damage as the Cavs entered the third carrying a 5-2 lead.
Following a Grizzley run in the top of the third to trim the Cavs' lead to 5-3, the Blue and White busted the game open in their half of the inning as they pushed across three more runs, highlighted by a two RBI double from McKisson.
The Cavs would later tack on four runs in the fifth to coast to the eventual 12-6 final.
Following today's double header, the Cavs move to 3-2 overall. They will look for win number four when they face Hanover College tomorrow at Chain of Lakes Stadium. First pitch is slated for 3:30pm.
