Posted: Feb 17, 2020
The Cambridge varsity baseball team opened up the 2020 season with four games against top competition the week of February 10th. After getting off to a slow start offensively and defensively in the first three games, both aspects picked up in game four to cap off the week with a big win.
Game 1: @ Blessed Trinity, Feb 11, 2020
BT is a traditional baseball power in Georgia, and this year appears to be no different. The contest looked to be a tight one out of the gate, but the Cambridge defense failed to the tune of 6 errors, generating 8 unearned runs for the home team. Casey Young got the start for the Bears and battled throughout, allowing a couple of unearned runs in the second and another run in the fourth.
Down a manageable 3-0 in the fifth, the Bears defense continued to struggle providing 6 unearned runs off of Cambridge reliever Nick Dato to push the score to 9-0. The Cambridge offense was neutralized throughout, providing just two hits on the evening. BT added a run in the sixth to close out the scoring for a 10-0 win for the home team.
Young took the loss, going 3 2/3 innings allowing one earned run on four hits. Ryan Todd and Grayson Dato had the only hits for the Bears offense.
Game 2: vs. Starr's Mill, Feb 14, 2020
Game 2 started better for Cambridge. Ryan Todd led off the game and advanced to first on an error. Todd stole second and scored on a double to left by Jackson Woods for a 1-0 lead. That lead did not last long as Starr's Mill tied the game up in the bottom of the inning off of Bears starter Tommy Fester. The home team then took a 3-1 lead in the second and did not look back.
Cambridge mounted a rally in the fourth, but could not push anything across. Starr's Mill drove the game out of reach in the bottom of the inning, scoring four times off of Bears reliever Jordan Payne to extend the lead to 7-1, which is where the game ended.
Fester went three innings and allowed three runs on three hits to take the loss. Alex Armstrong pitched well in relief, tossing two scoreless innings. Matt Faby led the Cambridge offense with a pair of hits, including a double. Woods had a double and the lone Bears RBI. Todd had the other Bears hit.
Game 3: vs. Kell, Feb 15, 2020
Kell jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first against Cambridge starter Nicho Armstrong. Matt Faby relieved Armstrong in the first to manage the damage. Kell pushed two more across in the second and third innings off of Faby, assisted by a pair of Cambridge errors. Down 7-0, the Bears mounted its only offense of the game in the bottom of the third.
Jayden Carbonell-Smith led off the inning with a sharp single to left. Todd pushed the runner to second via ground out. Johnny Eneberg drove in the first Bears run of the game with a double down the line in right to make the score 7-1. Unfortunately, the offense stalled from there and the game ended in a 11-1 loss.
Armstrong took the loss for the Bears. Eneberg had a double and RBI to lead the offense. Drew Hill, Grayson Dato, Will Paulus and Carbonell-Smith each contributed a single to the cause.
Game 4: vs. Redan, Feb 15, 2020
Timely hitting, combined with strong infield play and outstanding pitching carried the day in this game against a talented squad from Redan HS. Johnny Eneberg got the start for Cambridge and turned in a dazzling performance for the Bears.
Redan advanced a runner to first in the opening inning, but the defense turned a slick 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
The Bears offense struck in the bottom of the first. Jayden Carbonell-Smith led off with a double to left center and moved to third on a sac bunt by Matt Faby. Carbonell-Smith then scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 Cambridge lead.
The Bears offense struck again in the third. Alex Moelter had a two-out infield hit to get things started. He then scored on a triple to deep center by Carbonell-Smith. Faby drove him in with a line drive single to center and a 3-0 lead.
Eneberg remained in control throughout and left the game after four strong innings and a 3-0 lead. Sophomore Zach Harris entered the game in the fifth and found a little trouble. Three straight Redan singles loaded the bases. Harris buckled down and forced an out at home on a ground ball to Bryce Becker who made a perfect throw to catcher Cody Rech. Harris then coaxed another Cambridge 4-6-3 double play to end the threat and maintain the 3-0 lead.
Harris made quick work of the Redan offense after that, striking out three combined in the next two innings to close out the first Cambridge win of the young season.
Eneberg went four strong to earn the win. He allowed two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Harris earned his first career save, going three scoreless innings allowing three hits and punching out three. Carbonell-Smith led the offense with a double, a triple, an RBI and two runs scored.
Cambridge picks back up on non-region play with a game at West Forsyth on Wednesday, February 19th at 5:00 PM.
Go Bears!