Coming off of a tough region loss Wednesday night at Alpharetta, the Cambridge varsity baseball squad needed a win to regain momentum and maintain 3rd place in region. What they got was one of the better all around performances of the year with a 12-2 victory by run rule over North Atlanta HS Friday night, April 13th.
North Atlanta came out of the gate swinging, however, against Cambridge starter Ryan Todd. Three two-out hits pushed across two runs, pushing the visitors out front 2-0. Cambridge did not let that lead last long, however. The Warriors starter experienced control issues walking the first three batters of the game. Mitch Fleming drove in the first run via sacrifice fly. Justin Tanguay and Ross Friedrick would later single to give the Bears the lead at 3-2 after one.
Todd settled in on the mound and the Cambridge offense continued to stay hot. A Todd hit by pitch and a Cody Rech single set up another RBI opportunity for Fleming who delivered with an RBI single. Rech and Fleming would eventually score on a couple of wild pitches to make the score 6-2 after two.
Todd pitched another scoreless inning in the third, setting up more Cambridge fireworks in the bottom of the inning. Connor Morris led off with a single and scored on a Todd triple down the right field line. Pinch-runner Christian Lail scored by error and Fleming doubled. A Tanguay groundout scored another run before Andrew Spears singled to drive in Fleming.
Up 11-2 in the fifth, Cambridge needed a single run to end the game and got that when Spears got on by error and scored on a Friedrick single to end the game by run rule at 12-2.
Todd went 3 1/3 innings to get the win, allowing two runs on four hits with a strikeout. Johnny Eneberg got out of a jam in the fourth by fanning both batters he faced, and Kenny Rosenbloom pitched a scoreless fifth. Friedrick and Fleming remained scorching hot at the plate. Friedrick had three hits and 2 RBI with a double, while Fleming had two hits, two RBI, two runs scored with a double. Tanguay and Spears each had two RBI, while Todd had a triple and Chase Durham had a double.
Cambridge finishes region play next week with three games, beginning with a game at Northview HS on Monday at 5:55 PM. Cambridge has an 8-5 record in region and can clinch a playoff spot with one win and third place with wins over either Northview or Pope plus a win at home vs. Dunwoody. Senior night is Wednesday the 18th at home vs. Dunwoody in a game that could determine 3rd or 4th place in the region, so come out and support the team.
Go Bears!