By Christopher Shaban
CLAREMONT — The Cardinals were rewarded with home playoff games in the first rounds as Bob Melcher had both fields looking perfect after some heavy rain blew through the city over the weekend as both teams fell as their seasons came to an end.
On the baseball diamond at Barnes park, Dylan Chambers got the nod to start following his brilliant 17 strikeout performance last week against a John Stark team that looked every bit as good as any solid D2 team should. The Generals came out swinging and placed runs on the scoreboard early and often as speed on the base paths, excellent fielding and an eye for hits was a recipe for a Stevens 11-0 loss. The Cardinals made some solid plays and cut down would be JS runners but with the ball popping off the visitors bats that pushed Stevens right fielder Sean Adams up on the bank and left fielder Owen Taylor tracking down hits, it was an uphill battle for the Cards. Paul Silva’s team would end the season with an 8-5 record and will look forward to next season with 3 seniors playing their last games in the Cardinal red as Owen Taylor, Caden Ferland and Bryce Weymouth will be moving on.
Across the city at Veteran’s park, Zoey Foote got the Cardinal’s softball team headed in the right direction with when she scored on a RBI single off the bat of Emily Peaslee to give Stevens a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Bow came into the game having defeated only 3 teams all season but didn’t look like a 6-6 team with the way the ball flew off their bats. Bri Frisbee took care of the Falcons early but things changed quickly as Bow began to get their bats on the ball. Sharp hits, excellent base running and even a perfect drag bunt opened up the scoring for Bow as they grabbed a 4-1 lead.
The softball gods were not in the Cardinals corner today as an indestructible bat snapped in 2 pieces in the hands of Gabby Savo when she hammered a pitch that trickled into the infield for an out that should have traveled much deeper.
With the largest crowd of the year on hand, Frisbee and Foote would start a rally in the 4th with back to back singles and Gabby Labounty single drove in Frisbee to cut the score to 8-2. Frisbee once aging held the Bow bats in check as innings were winding down on the Cardinals.
In the top of the 5th inning, Foote drew a walk and Makayla Macolli followed up with a hustle play that put Cardinal runners on the bases. With Kylie Bundy at the dish, she hit a laser that was headed for center field. The Bow Shortstop made an incredible shoe string catch that ended up with a double play that was an absolute rally killer.
Once again the Bow defense shut down the Cards and a game ending double play in the last inning giving Bow a 9-2 win and closed out a terrific season for Missy Nichol’s team. Foote and Savo both ended the day with two hits each wile Bundy and Peaslee grabbed a hit each for Stevens (10-4).
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