Cambridge split the first two of seven region games to be played over the next two weeks. Cambridge won 6-1 over Chattahoochee Monday night April 9th thanks to a strong start from Evan Pollifrone before losing by a score of 8-4 the following evening at Johns Creek.
Cambridge vs. Chattahoochee, Monday April 9th
Pollifrone pitched a gem of a game to lead the home Bears to victory. The Cambridge offense also rebounded from a subpar performance on Saturday to the tune of eight hits and six runs.
Cambridge scratched out a run in the second against the talented Cougars lefty. Andrew Spears walked before Ross Friedrick lofted a single to center. Connor Morris then queued a ball towards the mound and the pitcher could not make the play, allowing a run to score.
Pollifrone worked in and out of trouble but would not relent as he kept the visitors off the scoreboard. Cambridge finally got through to the tiring Chattahoochee starter in the fifth. Teddy Egan led off with a single and one batter later Mitch Fleming did the same. Justin Tanguay then pushed the score to 2-0 with a ground ball single to left. Friedrick made the score 3-0 with a sac fly to left.
Pollifrone ran into a little trouble in the sixth but managed a key strikeout with one out and the bases loaded to keep the visitors off the board. Casey Young came in to replace Pollifrone and retired the first batter he faced on a ground out to preserve the 3-0 margin. Egan and Tanguay had RBI singles in the seventh and Christian Lail scored by error to push the score to 6-0. The Cougars pushed a run across in the seventh but Young struck out the final batter to finish off the 6-1 victory.
Pollifrone threw 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing three hits with four strikeouts to earn the win. Young got the final four outs to earn his first career save. Tanguay had two hits and two RBI to lead the offense. Fleming had two hits, including a double and Egan had two hits and an RBI.
Cambridge @ Johns Creek, Tuesday April 10th
Cambridge junior catcher Ross Friedrick did all he could do to assure a Cambridge victory, but it wasn't enough. Friedrick supplied just about all of the offense on the night, but the home team caught a few breaks and made a few more plays in the 8-4 loss.
Cambridge opened the scoring in the second. Mitch Fleming doubled to lead off the inning and came around to score on a double by Friedrick. Johns Creek answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning against starter Blake Renner on a two-out error to take a 2-1 lead. Johns Creek added two more in the third courtesy of a walk and a couple of singles. The home team added another run in the fifth to make the score 5-1. Singles by Fleming and Justin Tanguay in the sixth set up a three-run home run by Friedrick to close the score to 5-4. Johns Creek answered with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, closing out the scoring at 8-4.
Renner went the distance to take the loss. Friedrick went 3-3 with a pair of doubles, a home run and all four RBI to lead the offense. Fleming and Tanguay each had two hits, while Fleming and Cody Rech also had doubles.
Cambridge continues region play with a battle of second place teams Wednesday, April 11th at Alpharetta HS. Game time is 5:55 PM.
Go Bears!