The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Seahawks baseball team played their season opener, hosting the Catholic University Cardinals. The Seahawks were looking to start their 2023 campaign on a high note but were unable to do so, falling to the Cardinals 11-5.
The game began with the Cardinals taking an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. However, the Seahawks were able to respond quickly and scored their first run of the season in the bottom of the same inning. Dan Weeden came up clutch with an RBI double, allowing Chase Odell to score from first base. The Seahawks were able to tie the game up in the second inning when Garrett Pullium doubled to deep right-center to bring in Ian Walters.
The Cardinals then took control of the game, capitalizing on some of the Seahawks’ mistakes to build a commanding 9-2 lead. However, the Seahawks refused to give up and continued to fight back. Odell brought the team closer by driving in Derrick Booker from first base with an RBI single, reducing the lead to six. In the eighth inning, Brian Sanders stepped up and hit a ball to center field that brought in two runners, making it a four-run game.
Despite the Seahawks’ efforts, their comeback fell short as the Cardinals added two more runs in the ninth inning to secure their victory. The final score was 11-5 in favor of the Cardinals.
Odell and Cole Tarleton were the standouts for the Seahawks, with each player recording five hits. Sanders finished the game with two RBIs, both coming off his eighth-inning double. Tommy Brill got the start on the mound for the Seahawks and faced 15 batters, while Jake Sandridge and Ryder Chalk recorded three strikeouts each.
The Seahawks will now look to bounce back from their defeat when they take on Muhlenberg in a doubleheader on February 25th. The team will be looking to improve their performance and secure their first win of the season.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, will be hoping to build on their strong start to the season as they look to maintain their 20th rank in the nation.