Baseball Clipped by Cardinals, 13-8

ARNOLD, MD – The Anne Arundel Community College baseball team fell to visiting CCBC-Catonsville Thursday afternoon at Skip Brown Field. The Riverhawks (9-18, 5-9) were led by freshman Shelby Wheeler, who drove in three runs on three hits. 

Anne Arundel put two on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. The Riverhawks' leadoff man, Noah Rafsky, was hit by a pitch, stole second, and eventually came across on a passed ball. Wheeler drove in Drew Erlich, who reached on an error, with a triple later in the inning.

The Cardinals (14-12, 5-3) cut the lead in half in the third when Zeke Moldonado came across on an infield error. CCBC-Catonsville tied the game in the top of the fifth on a solo home run from Aronne Dutton.

In the bottom of the fifth, however, the Riverhawks retook the lead with four runs on a pair of hits and an error, seeing Wheeler again plate Ehrlich, and chasing out Cardinals' starter, Tyler Green. 

The game got interesting in the sixth as CCBC-Catonsville took advantage of four Riverhawks errors to score 10 in the frame. After giving up two doubles and two runs, AACC starter Blake Rebstock moved to center and the Riverhawks brought in Zachary Rees to finish the game on the mound. Rees got two quick outs, but the Cardinals then put up eight unearned runs.

CCBC-Catonsville edged ahead to a 13-6 lead in the top of the seventh, and Anne Arundel got it back in the bottom of the inning, this time seeing Wheeler drive in Andrew Revels with a single to center.

The Riverhawks added a pair of runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as Ehrlich drilled a double to center, sending Revels across for the second time of the afternoon.

Rebstock took the loss for AACC, allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out three in five innings. Rees surrendered seven runs (one earned) and struck out one in the final four innings.

Trevor Smoot, who started the game at third, earned the win in relief for CCBC-Catonsville with one run on three hits in 3.1 innings. Green stuck out seven and allowed six runs (one earned) on three hits in the start. Moises Aristy, Jr. closed out the game with one run on a pair of hits.

Anne Arundel continues NJCAA Region XX action Saturday with a 12pm doubleheader at DI Hagerstown Community College.