Arundel Completes Big Comeback to Take Down No. 23 La Plata

Game four of the Arundel Spring Break Tournament featured the host Wildcats against No. 23 La Plata on a very pleasant evening at Bernie Walter Field. La Plata struck first scoring six runs before anyone could even catch their breath in the top of the first as leadoff hitter and Warrior shortstop Dean Kirby doubled down the left field line to open the game. Two batters later, Ryan Calvert singled through the right side to score Kirby and give the Warriors the early 1-0 lead. Following a walk to clean-up hitter Chet Bowling, four consecutive RBI singles by Zach Harris, Cameron Jones, Tyler Moody, Shane Kirby, and a error at third base on Jake Gleason's hard hit ground ball made it 6-0.

The Wildcats would get one back in the bottom half as Anthony D'Urso singled to left field for an RBI to plate Garrett Stanard but stranded a couple as La Plata got a big 6-3 unassisted double play to end the inning. 

The scoring continued in the second as both teams slugged it out early in this one. La Plata added three more in the top half on another Jones RBI single through the left side, a S. Kirby live drive single to right field, and a bases loaded walk to D. Kirby to increase their lead to eight at 9-1. 

Arundel caught some fire at the plate in the bottom of the second answering with four runs and beginning their comeback. The Wildcats four run rally was highlighted by Sam Merchant's single back up the middle to plate two runs. 

After holding La Plata scoreless in the top of the third, Arundel inched a run closer in the bottom half when Thomas Loughry singled to right center field to score Chris Koennel who reached earlier on an error. The Wildcats would complete the comeback and take the lead in the fourth scoring four more runs on four errors, two walks, and just one hit by Koennel to make it 10-9.

Andrew Barrett came on in relief of Wildcat starter Christopher Beatty Jr. in the second to end the Warriors early onslaught and threw four scoreless innings allowing just one hit while striking out three from the third to the sixth. Following a leadoff double by Bowling to start the seventh, Arundel went to the pen once more for righty Greg Borges who came in and shut the door getting a pop-up and two strikeouts to strand La Plata's tying run at third base. Arundel showed resiliency erasing an early eight run deficit in the night-cap to knock off No. 23 La Plata by a final score of 10-9.