Coming off of a solid 4-1 victory over a talented Lassiter squad the night before, Cambridge squared off with nationally-ranked River Ridge with hopes of winning back-to-back games for the first time this season. After a rough start, the Bears stormed back to take a 3-run lead in the middle innings before eventually losing in the final frame.
The visiting Knights scored early, plating three runs in the first courtesy of a bases-clearing double and two more in the second to take a 5-0 lead after two. Casey Young entered the game in the third and worked through trouble before gaining a strikeout to escape further damage.
In what was a recurring theme for both teams, Cambridge pushed across six runs in the bottom of the third on one hit, five walks and a hit by pitch. Walks by Justin Tanguay, Danny DeSousa, Ross Friedrick, Andrew Spears and Teddy Egan moved the score to 5-2. Mitch Fleming drove in another run with a hit by pitch, before Chase Durham tied the score on a single to center. Fleming would later score from third on a balk by the pitcher and the inning ended 6-5 in favor of the home team.
Young scattered a single and a walk in the top of the fourth to maintain the 6-5 margin. The Bears went quietly in the bottom of the inning and Young threw another scoreless inning in the fifth with the help of two strikeouts. Egan led off the bottom of the fifth with a double and then scored on a single by Fleming. A bases loaded walk by DeSousa pushed the score to 8-5 after five.
Johnny Eneberg replaced Young on the mound for Cambridge in the sixth and the visitors were able to tie the game with the help of a two out 2-run error off of reliever Kenny Rosenbloom, who had just entered the game. The Bears offense could get nothing going in the bottom of the inning, setting up the crucial seventh. River Ridge loaded the bases with two outs and were able to push two runs across courtesy of a clutch single on a 2-2 count.
Durham led off the bottom of the seventh with a line shot to left, but the left fielder made a nice play for the out. Ryan Todd lined his second hit of the day with two outs, but the rally ended there resulting in a 10-8 defeat.
Rosenbloom took the loss, his first of the season. Young pitched three scoreless innings of relief, allowing a hit with four strikeouts. Todd led the offense with a pair of hits, while Durham and Fleming each drove in two. Egan scored two runs.
Cambridge plays next with a doubleheader on Saturday at cross-town rival Milton. The first game begins at 11 AM. Game two is set for 2 PM.
Go Bears!
