Another strong start from Isaac Allison and three-RBI games from Todd Brandl and Jacob Laird helped Cayuga Community College Baseball earn a split against CCBC-Catonsville on Sunday.
After getting shutout 10-0 in the opener, the Spartans responded by crushing the Cardinals 17-4 in the second half of the doubleheader. Cayuga returns from their Maryland road trip with a record of 3-3.
Cayuga Coach John Rizzo said his team again demonstrated their ability to respond with a good performance after losing the opening game of a doubleheader.
“We’ve seen that in all three of our doubleheaders so far this year — a tough loss to start, followed by a much better performance from our whole team,” said Rizzo. “It’s great to see that mental toughness already in place this early in the season. It should help us as we get into our regional schedule.”
After two scoreless innings to start the opener, the Cardinals loaded the bases in the third inning and scored three runs on an error before tacking on two more to take a 5-0 lead. The Cardinals added more runs in the fifth and sixth, while the Spartans’ lineup was held in check by Cardinals’ pitcher Dominic DeBellis. James MacLean threw two scoreless innings in relief for Cayuga.
The Spartans dominated the second game. Eathen Yoon, Luca D’Emilio, Owen Browne and Brandl hit run-scoring singles as part of a six-run first inning. Laird followed that up in the fourth by smashing a three-run homer to right field to make the game 10-3. Brandl doubled home Browne in the fifth before Cayuga added five more runs in the sixth, including two on a single by Jeremy Recio.
Allison threw a complete game for his second win of the season, scattering four hits and striking out two. Five Spartans — Recio, Laird, Yoon, Brandl and Alejandro Diaz — had at least two RBI, Browne scored three times, and D’Emilio had three hits to lead the Spartans’ lineup.
Cayuga is home at Falcon Park for a doubleheader with Corning Community College on Thursday, March 13. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
