Looking to go 2-0 in region play, the Cambridge varsity baseball team hosted Johns Creek Friday evening, March 8th.  Cambridge sent senior Blake Renner to the mound against the big lefty from Johns Creek.

 

Renner tossed a 1-2-3 first, while the Bears offense threatened in the bottom of the inning.  Ryan Todd led off with a single to center.  Cambridge executed a perfect hit-and-run with Cody Rech singling though the hole abandoned by the covering SS, sending Todd to third.  Mitch Fleming then coaxed a walk to load the bases with one out.  The offense, however, could not capitalize as the bases were left full.

 

Both teams pushed a run across in inning two.  For Cambridge, a Matt Faby leadoff single and Johnny Eneberg sac bunt pushed a runner into scoring position.  Faby would later score by way of an error on a Ryan Todd ground ball to tie the score at 1-1.

 

Johns Creek added four more in the third to make the score 5-1 before adding another in the fourth to take a commanding 6-1 lead.  Michael Polk entered the game in the fifth to thwart the Gladiators rally and preserve the 6-1 margin.  That would turn out to be a key moment as the Cambridge bats began to come alive against the tiring Johns Creek starter.

 

Singles by Todd and Ross Friedrick set the stage.  Rech then singled to left to drive in Todd.  Two more runs then scored by wild pitch and the inning ended with a 6-4 score.

 

Polk worked out of a jam in the sixth to preserve the margin.  Cambridge wasted no time in the bottom of the inning going after the new Johns Creek pitcher.  Eneberg led off with a line drive single to left and advanced to second on an error.  Justin Hozman lined a single just off the glove of the leaping third baseman to drive in Eneberg.  Friedrick singled to right and a hustling Hozman reached third on the play. 

 

Rech stepped to the plate for the key moment of the game and delivered big time.  His double to deep right center drove in both Hozman and pinch-runner Tommy Fester to give the Bears their first lead of the game at 7-6.  Polk then set down the Gladiators in impressive fashion in the seventh courtesy of a couple of strikeouts and Cambridge had its second region win in as many tries.

 

Cambridge amassed eleven hits on the day, led by the hot bat of Cody Rech.  Rech had three hits and three RBI, including the big go-ahead double.  Matt Faby had two hits, including a double, while Ross Friedrick and Ryan Todd each had a pair of singles.  Michael Polk got the win in relief of Renner.  He went 2 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on no hits with five strikeouts.

 

The scheduled game on Saturday with Sequoyah was rained out, so the Bears continue region play on Monday, March 11th with a home game against Chattahoochee.  Game time is 5:55 PM.