The Cambridge varsity baseball squad entered the day with a one game lead over Pope HS in region 7-AAAAAA.  As a result of all the games played on Thursday, they finished the day a game up on four separate teams even with a tough 2-1 loss on the road at Johns Creek.

 

Johns Creek threw their ACC-bound lefty and Cambridge countered with junior righty Casey Young.

 

Neither team could get anything going offensively in the early innings.  Cambridge went down in order in the first, while Young worked around trouble in the bottom of the inning with the help of Cambridge catcher Ross Friedrick.  Friedrick picked off a runner at second before gunning down another trying to swipe third.  Both teams went in order in the second.

 

Cambridge squandered a one-out single by Matt Faby in the third.  The Gladiators got a two-out double and a walk in the bottom of the third, but Young K'd the next batter to escape further damage.  Mitch Fleming singled in the fourth but was also left stranded.  Young found more trouble in the bottom of the inning, but struck out two batters with a runner at third to keep the score at 0-0 through four.

 

The Bears offense finally found the scoreboard in the fifth.  Jackson Woods lined a leadoff single to center to set the stage.  Faby followed with a one-out single to right to push Woods into scoring position.  Cambridge executed a perfect hit-and-run as Johnny Eneberg laced a single to center easily scoring Woods for a 1-0 Cambridge lead.  The rally ended there, however.

 

Young surrendered a couple of one-out walks and was replaced by Bears closer Michael Polk in the bottom of the fifth.  Polk coaxed a ground out to first for the second out of the inning as both runners advanced.  He then coaxed another ground ball but it was mis-played, allowing the tying run to cross.  The next hitter singled, driving in the go ahead run for a 2-1 Johns Creek lead.

 

Cambridge went quietly in the sixth, but managed a leadoff single by Woods in the seventh.  This time the offense would not deliver and the game ended 2-1 in favor of the home team.

 

The Cambridge offense outhit Johns Creek six to three on the day.  Woods and Faby led the way with two hits each.  Eneberg and Fleming had the other hits, and Eneberg had the lone RBI.  Young pitched well but took the loss, his first of the year.  He went 4 1/3 innings allowing no earned runs on two hits with five strikeouts.

 

Cambridge is now off for spring break but will return with a pair of non-region games against Marist HS.  The first game is Friday, April 5th at 5:30 PM at Marist.  Game two is Saturday, April 6th at home.  Game time is 1:00 PM.

 

Go Bears!