Posted: Mar 22, 2018
Lions Snag Rare Win Over Harford Community College
by Bill Gates
Reprinted with permission, courtesy of The Dundalk Eagle
Photos: Bill Gates
DUNDALK, MD -- Wins by the CCBC Dundalk baseball team over Harford Community College have been few and far between in recent years, and that didn't look to change when the Lions hosted the Owls last week.
Harford entered the game with a 10-4 record and a five-game winning streak, while Dundalk had a 5-6 record.
But the Lions had been hot recently, and made it six wins in their past seven games with a 6-1 win over Harford County on Thursday.
It was the first win for Dundalk over Harford County since March 2014.
Antonio Fernandez (John Bowne | Queens, N.Y.) threw a compete game four-hitter, with nine strikeouts and one walk, while the Lion batters seemed to take advantage of every Owl miscue. (Ed. note: Fernandez was named NJCAA Division II Pitcher of the Week March 12-18)
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Dundalk scored two runs to take the lead for good.
With two outs, Ethan Alioto (Catonsville) drew a walk and Aarron Rodriguez (Telecom | Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a grounder to shortstop that was bobbled for an error, then compounded by a wild throw to first base.
Alioto came all the way around to score on the throwing error, with Rodriguez ending up on third base. He scored on a passed ball to give the Lions a 2-1 lead.
Dundalk extended its lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth. A double by James Moses (Loyola Blakefield), a walk to Charles Lebron (Grand Street Campus | Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Shawn Dignazio's (Kenwood) infield single loaded the bases with one out.
Bryant Gutierrez (Abraham Lincoln | Queens, N.Y.) singled to center, driving in one run, and Zach Huddleston (Good Counsel) drew a walk to force home another run.
The Lions added two insurance runs in the seventh inning. Gutierrez struck out, but reached first base on a passed ball. Huddleston was hit by a pitch, and Alioto walked to load the bases with one out.
A passed ball scored Gutierrez, and Rodriguez made it 6-1 with a run-scoring groundout.
Fernandez had little trouble with the Harford lineup. He faced more than four batters in an inning just once, when the Owls scored their only run in the top of the second on a single, a wild pitch, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly.
That was the only time a Harford runner reached third base. Only one other Owl baserunner made it as far as second base, on a leadoff walk and a steal in the eighth inning.
Dundalk's surge stalled after the win over Harford County, however. The Lions (7-9) dropped a doubleheader to visiting Frederick Community College on Saturday, 2-1 and 18-8, and lost the first game of a doubleheader to visiting Lehigh Carbon Community College on Sunday, 5-4, before winning the second game 8-3.
In that win, Dundalk scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie.
Nick Wynn (Towson) had a three-run double in that inning. Alioto had two doubles in the game, with one RBI, while Gutierrez had two hits and an RBI.
Dignazio, a Kenwood graduate, threw a complete game to earn the win, with nine strikeouts and three walks. Only one was Lehigh Carbon's three runs was earned.
In Sunday's first game, Dundalk took a 4-3 lead into the seventh inning, but the Cougars scored two runs to edge the Lions.
Dundalk scored all four runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Arri Stakias (John Carroll) hitting a two-run single.
Chance Gensler (Kenwood) threw a three-hit complete game in the 2-1 loss to Frederick, but the Lions could only manage three hits of their own while one of the hits given up by Gensler was a home run.
Still, the Lions are 7-4 after an 0-5 start.
Dundalk was scheduled to host Cecil College on Thursday, but the game was likely postponed by the impending weather. (Ed. Note: Cecil College @ CCBC Dundalk postponed, rescheduled date TBD.)
The Lions are scheduled to host Hagerstown Community College in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon, then travel to Montgomery County (Pa.) Community College on Sunday before playing at CCBC Catonsville on Tuesday. (Ed. note: Hagerstown Community College @ CCBC Dundalk DH rescheduled for April 24, 2PM. CCBC Dundalk @ Montgomery County Community College (Pa.) has been postponed, rescheduled date TBD.)
Photos: Bill Gates
DUNDALK, MD -- Wins by the CCBC Dundalk baseball team over Harford Community College have been few and far between in recent years, and that didn't look to change when the Lions hosted the Owls last week.
Harford entered the game with a 10-4 record and a five-game winning streak, while Dundalk had a 5-6 record.
But the Lions had been hot recently, and made it six wins in their past seven games with a 6-1 win over Harford County on Thursday.
It was the first win for Dundalk over Harford County since March 2014.
Antonio Fernandez (John Bowne | Queens, N.Y.) threw a compete game four-hitter, with nine strikeouts and one walk, while the Lion batters seemed to take advantage of every Owl miscue. (Ed. note: Fernandez was named NJCAA Division II Pitcher of the Week March 12-18)
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Dundalk scored two runs to take the lead for good.
With two outs, Ethan Alioto (Catonsville) drew a walk and Aarron Rodriguez (Telecom | Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a grounder to shortstop that was bobbled for an error, then compounded by a wild throw to first base.
Alioto came all the way around to score on the throwing error, with Rodriguez ending up on third base. He scored on a passed ball to give the Lions a 2-1 lead.
Dundalk extended its lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth. A double by James Moses (Loyola Blakefield), a walk to Charles Lebron (Grand Street Campus | Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Shawn Dignazio's (Kenwood) infield single loaded the bases with one out.
Bryant Gutierrez (Abraham Lincoln | Queens, N.Y.) singled to center, driving in one run, and Zach Huddleston (Good Counsel) drew a walk to force home another run.
The Lions added two insurance runs in the seventh inning. Gutierrez struck out, but reached first base on a passed ball. Huddleston was hit by a pitch, and Alioto walked to load the bases with one out.
A passed ball scored Gutierrez, and Rodriguez made it 6-1 with a run-scoring groundout.
Fernandez had little trouble with the Harford lineup. He faced more than four batters in an inning just once, when the Owls scored their only run in the top of the second on a single, a wild pitch, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly.
That was the only time a Harford runner reached third base. Only one other Owl baserunner made it as far as second base, on a leadoff walk and a steal in the eighth inning.
Dundalk's surge stalled after the win over Harford County, however. The Lions (7-9) dropped a doubleheader to visiting Frederick Community College on Saturday, 2-1 and 18-8, and lost the first game of a doubleheader to visiting Lehigh Carbon Community College on Sunday, 5-4, before winning the second game 8-3.
In that win, Dundalk scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie.
Nick Wynn (Towson) had a three-run double in that inning. Alioto had two doubles in the game, with one RBI, while Gutierrez had two hits and an RBI.
Dignazio, a Kenwood graduate, threw a complete game to earn the win, with nine strikeouts and three walks. Only one was Lehigh Carbon's three runs was earned.
In Sunday's first game, Dundalk took a 4-3 lead into the seventh inning, but the Cougars scored two runs to edge the Lions.
Dundalk scored all four runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Arri Stakias (John Carroll) hitting a two-run single.
Chance Gensler (Kenwood) threw a three-hit complete game in the 2-1 loss to Frederick, but the Lions could only manage three hits of their own while one of the hits given up by Gensler was a home run.
Still, the Lions are 7-4 after an 0-5 start.
Dundalk was scheduled to host Cecil College on Thursday, but the game was likely postponed by the impending weather. (Ed. Note: Cecil College @ CCBC Dundalk postponed, rescheduled date TBD.)
The Lions are scheduled to host Hagerstown Community College in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon, then travel to Montgomery County (Pa.) Community College on Sunday before playing at CCBC Catonsville on Tuesday. (Ed. note: Hagerstown Community College @ CCBC Dundalk DH rescheduled for April 24, 2PM. CCBC Dundalk @ Montgomery County Community College (Pa.) has been postponed, rescheduled date TBD.)
Follow Bill Gates on Twitter @DEagle_sports
