Lancaster, PA -  Chatham Baseball (13-1, 0-0 PAC) took on Bluffton (5-6, 0-0 HCHC) and Capital (10-4, 0-0 OAC) in a split doubleheader on Saturday. The Cougars beat the Beavers 11-7 in game one and the Comets 5-3 to sweep the day, extending the program record winning streak to nine games. 

The Cougars set the tone in the first inning of game one,jumping out to an early lead. After stealing third, Matt Brandt scored on an error by the third baseman. A batter later, Caleb Jones singled home Eddie Rueda. In the top of the second, Hayden Woodward added to the Cougars' lead, singling up the middle, plating 2 RBIs, putting Chatham up 4-0. The Beavers answered back in the bottom half of the inning, taking the lead, going up 7-4. The Cougars clawed back in the 6th inning. A sweet, sweet Angelo DeLeonardis HBP loaded the bases for Caleb Jones. He struck a ball high and deep down the right field line, clearing the fence, for the game-leading grand slam. Cooper Baxter dug in and struck one over the left-center fence to go back-to-back and flip the game in favor of the Cougars. Chatham added two more runs in the 8th and 9th, clinching an 11-7 victory. 

Caleb Jones led the way offensively, going 2-5 with a double and his 1st homerun of the season, picking up 5 RBIs. Hayden Woodward added 2 RBIs of his own, and Eddie Rueda quietly picked up 4 hits with 2 runs scored. Cooper Baxter finished the game 2-3, hitting his 1st homerun of the season, earning 2 RBIs. On the mound, Riley Baum picked up his 2nd win of the season, pitching 6.0 innings out of the pen, giving up 1 earned run while striking out 8. Cason Bennett picked up the save in his 1.2 innings of scoreless work, striking out 1. 

In game two, the Cougars jumped ahead 1-0 in the 3rd inning, scoring on a passed ball. They would add 4 more runs in the bottom of the 5th. Angelo DeLeonardis worked a bases-loaded walk to force a run in. An ill-timed error by the second baseman plated two more, and a Cooper Baxter RBI single capped the inning. The Comets responded with 3 of their own in the top half of the 6th to cut the lead to two. The Cougars shut down Capital over the next three innings to earn the sweep, by a final score of 5-3. 

The Cougars' offense was firing on all cylinders all day. In game two, Keegan McGraw led the way, picking up 2 hits and scoring 2 runs. Cooper Baxter went 2-4, picking up another RBI to complete his strong performances. Matt Brandt picked up 2 hits while Angelo DeLeonardis earned himself an RBI. Matt Bamford earned his team-leading 4th victory of the season, scattering 3 earned runs over 5.1 innings. He picked up 5 strikeouts in his innings of work. Ethan Botkin came out of the pen firing 3.2 scoreless innings, picking up 2 Ks, and earning the save. 

Baseball returns home on Wednesday, March 18th, for a matchup with St. Mary's (Md.). First pitch is slated for 7:15 pm at West Field.