Cambridge hosted its first ever GHSA baseball playoff series against the River Ridge Knights on Wednesday, April 24th and Thursday, April 25th.  The teams entered the series evenly matched and the outcome of each game reflected that fact.  Cambridge battled back from an early deficit in game one to walk off with a dramatic victory, while River Ridge walked off a win of its own in the eighth inning of game two.  In the winner-take-all game three, Cambridge jumped out to a big lead only to see it evaporate in a single inning as the visitors escaped with another one-run win and a trip to round two of the playoffs.

 

For the seven graduating seniors, game three represented the final game of their high school careers.  And while the outcome of the game and the manner in which it transpired was tough for all, it didn't detract from the impact these gentlemen made on the Cambridge baseball program in their four years of play.

 

 

Blake Renner got the starting assignment for the Bears in what was his final high school appearance.  And he made the most of it.  River Ridge countered with its UGA-bound ace, setting the stage for a hotly-contested game.

 

The Knights scored the game's initial run in the first courtesy of a couple of hits and a ground out.  Two more hits in the second pushed the lead to 2-0 after two.  Neither team threatened in the third, and Renner set the visitors down in order in the fourth.

 

Cambridge struck quickly in the bottom of the fourth.  Ross Friedrick singled to open the inning.  Cody Rech then stepped to the plate and launched a two-run homer to left and the game was tied at two after four innings.

 

Rivier Ridge struck back in the fifth with three runs to regain the lead at 5-2.  The Bears offense began to immediately chip away at that lead.  Danny DeSousa singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth and Johnny Eneberg was hit by pitch.  A Friedrick one-out walk loaded the bases before a wild pitch pushed a run across.  The Bears offense could push nothing more across, however.  Renner tossed another scoreless inning in the top of the sixth before the Cambridge bats struck back in the bottom of the inning.

 

Jackson Woods led off with a line drive single to right.  DeSousa and Eneberg then wallked to load the bases.  Ryan Todd closed the gap to a run with a single to right.  Friedrick then tied the game with a single of his own.  The rally would end with a 5-5 tie after six.

 

Renner once again coaxed a scoreless inning and the stage was set for the offense.  Jared Spears walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Woods then moved him to third with a sac bunt.  DeSousa stepped to the plate with two outs and lined an 0-2 pitch for a single to right and a walk-off 6-5 Cambridge victory and a 1-0 series lead.

 

Renner went the distance in a gutty performance against the potent River Ridge offense to get the win, his fifth on the season.  He allowed four earned runs on seven hits with ten strikeouts.  Rech's two-run bomb and DeSousa's walk-off were the offensive highlights.  DeSousa scored twice on two hits, while Friedrick also had two hits.

 

 

 

Casey Young got the start for the Bears in search of his sixth win.  River Ridge countered with their Georgia Tech-bound righty.  Both pitchers were on top of their games as the offensive fireworks of game one subsided in the early innings of this game.  Young cruised through the first three innings with no trouble.  The River Ridge righty did the same and the the teams combined accounted for only a singe hit through three.

 

River Ridge mounted the first threat of the game in the bottom of the fourth.  The Knights leadoff hitter singled, but was promptly erased by Cambridge catcher Ross Friedrick as he picked the runner off at first.  River Ridge got two more on board, but Young got a couple of crucial strikeouts to end the threat.

 

The Cambridge offense remained quiet in the fifth before a walk and a hit by pitch pushed a runner into scoring position for River Ridge in the bottom of the inning.  However, Matt Faby and Cody Rech turned what may have been the defensive play of the year on a beautiful 6-4-3 double play to end the inning to keep the score at 0-0.

 

Walks by Friedrick and Rech in the sixth pushed a runner into scoring position for Cambridge, but the offense could not deliver.  The Knights got a one-out single and a stolen base in the bottom of the inning before a single just off the glove of second baseman Rech pushed the game's first run across for a 1-0 River Ridge lead.  Young K'd the next batter and Friedrick once again picked off the runner at first to end the inning.

 

Moving to the seventh, the Cambridge offense had yet to earn its first hit.  Faby got things started with a one-out walk.  Eneberg then singled to right for the first Bears hit.  Friedrick was hit by pitch, sending Rech to the plate with two outs and the bases full.  The hot-hitting junior delivered in a big way once again by singling to center to even the score at 1-1.  The Knights centerfielder made a great play to throw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate and the inning ended there.

 

Senior Michael Polk replaced Young to begin the seventh.  River Ridge loaded the bases with two outs, but Polk struck out the Knights cleanup hitter to send the game to extra innings.  Cambridge went in order in eighth.  River Ridge got a runner on base by way of an error before a double to right center pushed the winning run across in a 2-1 Knights victory.

 

The Cambridge offense generated only the two seventh inning hits by Eneberg and Rech.  On the mound, Young took a no decision.  He went six innings and allowed six hits and one run with five strikeouts.  Polk took the loss in relief.

 

 

 

Evan Pollifrone got the start for Cambridge on the mound, while River Ridge countered with their UT-bound righty.  The winner of this game would advance to round two to face Winder-Barrow HS.  As the visiting team for the game, the Bears batted first and set the tone early.  

 

Ryan Todd led off the game with a line drive single to center.  Friedrick hit a line drive to left that glanced off the glove of the left fielder for an error.  Jared Spears walked to load the bases.  Jackson Woods then hit a ball into the hole at short and beat it out for an infield single giving Cambridge an early 2-0 lead.

 

Pollifrone was masterful in the early going of this game.  He cruised through the first with little trouble.  The Cambridge offense would strike for two more in the second.  Nicholas Armstrong led off with a single.  Justin Hozman then laid a perfect bunt down the third base line.  The throw to first by the third baseman sailed into right, scoring Armstrong.  Hozman raced to third on the play and throw to third sailed high and Hozman scooted home for a 4-0 Bears lead after two.

 

Neither team threatened in the third.  The Cambridge bats stormed back for more in the fourth.  Armstrong once again singled to lead off the inning and Hozman walked.  Todd then drove in both with a double to deep left.  Friedrick drove him in with a double of his own to push the score to 7-0.  Cambridge added another run in the fifth when Armstrong doubled in Woods who had walked.

 

After five innings, Cambridge was up 8-0 and Pollifrone was tossing a no-hitter.  And then the season ended.  River Ridge scored nine runs in the sixth and the game ended as Cambridge could not push anything across in the seventh.

 

What looked to be a resounding win turned into a disappointing loss as the baseball gods sent "one of those innings" Cambridge's way.  Pollifrone pitched outstanding for Cambridge, completely confounding the Knights hitters through five no-hit innings.  The offense produced plenty in the face of stiff River Ridge pitching.  Armstrong led the way with three hits in as many at bats.  Todd had two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.  Armstrong and Friedrick also had doubles.

 

Cambridge concluded its season with a 16-14 overall record against stout competition.  Included in that record was a 12-4 record in region, tying Pope for the best record during region play.  Ryan Todd and Blake Renner secured 1st team 7-6A all region honors for their efforts, while Casey Young, Cody Rech and Ross Friedrick earned second team honors.  Johnny Eneberg was named honorable mention.  Michael Polk, Mitch Fleming and Danny DeSousa were named to the Senior All-Academic Team for region 7-6A.

 

The Cambridge baseball family once again would like to thank the seven Cambridge seniors who gave everything they had for themselves, their teammates and the Cambridge program.  Ross Friedrick, Mitch Fleming, Danny DeSousa, Turner Rosenbaum, Evan Pollifrone, Michael Polk and Blake Renner will be gone but not forgotten.  Best of luck to all seven of these young gentlemen as they embark on the next stage of their journey!

 

Have a great baseball summer, and we'll see you next spring!

 

Go Bears!