Greenville, PA - Chatham Baseball (17-6, 3-5 PAC) faced off with Thiel (5-17, 2-6 PAC) for a conference doubleheader on Friday. The Cougars swept the Tomcats, winning 24-8 in game one and 12-3 in game two. Baseball set the program record with 24 hits in game one.
The Cougars jumped out to an early lead in game one with Matt Brandt capping off the inning with an RBI single. They added on with 7 runs in the 2nd to extend their lead. The Tomcats responded with 6 runs of their own in the bottom half of the third. The Cougars responded with 3 runs in the 4th. Keegan McGraw led off the inning with a deep drive to center field, his 1st homerun of the season. The Cougars' offensive onslaught continued as they scored 3 or more runs in each of the last three innings to clinch the 24-8 victory.
Keegan McGraw set the tone offensively, going 3-5 with a homerun, scoring 2 runs, and collecting 2 RBI. Eddie Rueda was on the basepaths all day, going 4-6 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. Dominic Colarusso announced his return with authority, picking up 4 hits, 4 runs scored, 3 RBI, and adding a HBP. Caleb Jones capped off a productive first game with 3 RBI. All 9 Cougars starters collected at least a hit in their record-setting performance. On the mound, Gianni Cantini earned his 3rd win of the season to remain undefeated, striking out 4 and limiting the Tomcats to 2 runs and 4 hits over 4.1 innings pitched.
In game two, the Cougars fell behind early as the Tomcats struck first with 2 runs in the 1st inning. The Cougars responded in their half of the 4th inning as two wild pitches allowed Keegan McGraw and Hayden Woodward to score. The offense kept it rolling in the 5th as Devin Fluhmann plated two with a single up the middle and Angelo DeLeonardis doubled one home. The Cougars put up 5 in the 7th to put the game away as Cooper Baxter's 2 RBI double clinched the sweep.
Angelo DeLeonardis led the way out of the leadoff spot, collecting 2 hits, 2 runs scored, walking twice, and earning 1 RBI. Cooper Baxter's strong presence in the middle of the order resulted in a 2-5 game with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Matt Brandt scored twice and added 1 RBI. Devin Fluhmann went 2-3 with a run scored and 2 RBI, adding a stolen base to his totals. On the mound, Matt Bamford went 5 strong, striking out 5, and scattering 2 runs to earn his 6th win of the season. Ethan Botkin came out of the pen firing, earning his 3rd save of the season, allowing just 1 run and striking out 4, in his 4 innings of work.
After a much-deserved Easter break, the Cougars are back in action on Wednesday, April 8th, for a doubleheader against Saint Vincent. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 pm from Latrobe, PA.
