Cambridge ventured out of region play for a game against perennial power Buford Thursday night. A night after struggling to push across a single run, the Cambridge offense had no such issue against the home Wolves, collecting eleven hits on their way to a season high in runs.
The offense struck early and often in the first. A couple of walks and a Jake Swiacki single loaded the bases. A wild pitch and a Blake Renner single made the score 2-0. A bases loaded hit by pitch for Crew Cohoes made the score 3-0 and set the stage for senior Luke Foote. Foote has been nursing an injury, but in his first action in a few weeks he announced his presence with authority via a monster home run to right field, clearing the bases for a grand slam. The home run was the first of his Cambridge career.
Cambridge starter Brice Shafer entered the mound in the bottom of the first with a 7-0 lead. A couple of errors led to an unearned run, but he got out of the inning by a nifty double play orchestrated by third baseman Cameron Moore to escape further damage.
The Bears offense was far from over, putting up another seven spot in the second. Singles by Renner, Christian Lail and Moore, plus a double by Connor Morris highlighted the inning. Conner Young, wearing a glove over the cast on his left hand, pitched a hitless second inning featuring two strikeouts in his first action in a month. Another Morris hit, this time a single, plus a bases loaded walk by Mitch Fleming pushed the score to 15-2 after three.
A Foote walk, a Justin Tanguay single and a sac fly by Morris pushed the score to 17-2 in the fifth. Junior Tyler Shafer made his first appearance on the mound this season and pitched a scoreless fifth inning to end the game after five innings by run rule.
Brice Shafer got the win for Cambridge, the first of his career. Morris, Moore and Renner each had two hits to lead the offense. Foote had five RBI and Morris drove in three, while Moore and Cohoes had two RBI each. Michael Kolesar, Swiacki, Foote, Tanguay and Christian Lail each had hits.
Cambridge returns to region action with a must-win game at home Friday, April 21st against North Atlanta on Senior Night. Win and the Bears make the playoffs. Come early as senior night festivities begin around 5 PM. Game time is 5:55 PM.
Go Bears, Beat North Atlanta!
