Box Score
BEL AIR, Md.—After heading into the 12th inning tied at two runs, the Harford baseball team gave up one run to visiting Catonsville, but added two of its own on the game-winning two-RBI double by freshman Mike Krider (State College, Pa./State College) in the bottom of the inning to record its fifth straight win, 4-3 (13 inn.) over the Cardinals (8-9, 2-3 MDJUCO).
The Fighting Owls (9-8, 2-3 MDJUCO) surpassed the .500 mark for the first time after starting the season 3-0 and then dropping their next four games.
Freshman Joe Harbach (Abingdon, Md./Edgewood) led Harford on the day, going 3-for-6 with one run scored, one RBI and one triple, his third in the past two games, and is batting .600 (14-for-20) over the last five games.
Harford's pitching staff ruled the day, as freshman starter Mike Rappazzo (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) lasted 7.2 innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits while fanning one batter, before freshman Brian Heilig (Lykens, Pa./Upper Dauphin) entered in relief and struck out six batters, including four straight, while allowing no hits or runs in 3.1 innings. Freshman Paul Labe (1-0) picked up the eventual win after entering with the game tied at two and pitching 1.0 inning while giving up one run on two hits.
Shane Mattingly also lasted seven innings for the Cardinals, allowing two runs on six hits while fanning five batters and Scott Stewart finished the game, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out five in 4.2 innings of work.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly by Dustin Douglas that plated T.J. Murphy, but the Owls would knot the score in the bottom of the second as sophomore Ron Trout (Stewartstown, Pa./Kennard-Dale) singled to right center and was advanced on a sac bunt by freshman Mike Maxwell (Salem, N.J./Woodstown) before freshman Brendon Meyers (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) brought him home with an RBI single.
Catonsville would take back the lead in the third as Douglas's fielder's choice brought Nick Cicio in for the score and the Owls wouldn't tie things up until the fifth, which freshman Ryan Schaeffer (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) started off with a double down the left field line.
Freshman Kyle Rooker's (Coco Beach, Fla./Space Coast) sac bunt put Schaeffer at third and Harbach would tally a triple to deep left center that knotted the score at two.
Catonsville threatened in the seventh as they loaded the bases with two outs but Rappazzo rung up Eric Weiser to get out of the inning safely and after Harford stranded two in the bottom of the inning, neither team would see two baserunners until the 11th which saw Harford load the bases after two outs before Catonsville sent the game to its 12th inning.
Douglas doubled with one out to bring Ricky Laidler to the plate, who popped out to right to put the Owls one out away from their turn at the plate, before Danny Pichardo singled to bring Douglas in and give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead.
Harbach took the form of the tying run in the bottom of the 12th after driving a ball just out of reach of the shortstop to reach first and sophomore Chazz Losito (Avon Grove, Pa./Avon Grove/Wilimington) took the form of the winning run after reaching on a hit by pitch.
Trout's fielder's choice caused a swap of sorts as Losito was caught at second, and Harbach moved to third before freshman Mike Matthews (Wilmington, Del./Mt. Pleasant) entered the game as a pinch runner for Trout. Krider made solid contact with the ball sending it straight down the right field line, where it dropped just out of reach of the right fielder and Harbach easily scored the tying run before Matthews crossed the plate all the way from first to notch the winning run, 4-3.
The Fighting Owls return to action on Friday when they end their four-game homestand with a 1:00 p.m. against Finger Lakes.
