Box Score BEL AIR, Md. -- Harford pitchers dominated en route to a 7-1 win over CCBC Catonsville. Craig Joseph capped off a solid offensive day for the Fighting Owls with his first home run of the season.
 
Seven pitchers were used in the game on a designated staff day for Harford (16-17-1, 9-5 MD JUCO). They combined to allow just one run on six hits and four walks with eight punch outs.
 
After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Fighting Owls responded immediately. Tyler Napierala got on base via an infield single and CJ Young knocked him in with a triple down the right field line. Young came in to score when Cody Brittain grounded into a fielder's choice and Catonsville third baseman Matt Bougard's throw to the plate went high to the backstop.
 
From that point on, Harford pitchers took complete control of the game. Catonsville (14-13, 5-5 MD JUCO) struggled to get anything going at the plate, especially against Dalton Reed. The south paw had another outstanding outing for Harford, allowing two hits over three innings. Head coach Tom Eller planned on using a new pitcher to begin each inning, but Reed needed only eight pitches to get through the second and 10 to get through the third inning.
 
Harford put on a good display of defense throughout the game. Daulton Weeks made a nice diving catch on a shallow fly ball in the second inning and later combined with third baseman Brandon Smith and catcher Rob Koski to cut down a run at the plate in the fourth inning. Smith dove to his right to snag a sharp ground ball and throw a hitter out at first base in the first inning. Short stop Gabe Castillo ranged to his left to make a diving play on a ball up the middle and threw the hitter out to end the sixth inning. On the play, first baseman Justin Malehorn made a nice scoop on the short hopped throw from Castillo. He also caught a pop fly in foul territory while falling into the first base side dugout to end the eighth inning.
 
It was Joseph's three-run blast that gave Harford plenty of breathing room on the scoreboard. Napierala worked a one-out walk and stole second. Young bunted for a base hit, moving Napierala to third. Brittain was unable to cash in with a runner on third and less than two outs but Joseph picked him up in a big way. Joseph drove a two ball, one strike pitch over the wall in left field below the scoreboard to push Harford's lead to 6-1.
 
Napierala would go on to score his team leading third run of the game on Brittain's double in the left centerfield gap. Napierala scored from first and Brittain would advance to third base when left fielder Abel Arocho mishandled the ball.
 
The 1-2-3 hitters each had multi-hit games to lead the Harford offense. Napierala went 2-for-3 on the day with a walk and two stolen bases. Young went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Brittain went 2-for-4 with an RBI. His sixth inning double was his team-leading 18th extra-base hit of the season (11 doubles, 4 triples and 3 home runs).
 
Koski went 0-for-2 with two walks and three stolen bases. Castillo went 0-for-3 but picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
 
Austin Griffie got the start for Harford on the mound. He gave up an earned run on two hits and a walk while striking a batter.
 
As a pitching staff, Harford had four innings where a pitcher used less than 10 pitches or less to get through an inning. The previously mentioned second and third innings from Reed required just 18 pitches combined. Anthony Atticks needed five pitches to get through the fifth inning, despite giving up a single, and just six pitches to get through the sixth inning.
 
Carlos-Henri Ferre, James English, Ben Collincini and John  Hetterman combined to pitch the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. They combined to strikeout five batters and gave up just one hit. Ferre hit a batter while English and Collincini and walked one and two batters respectively. Hetterman relieved Collincini in the ninth with the bases loaded to record the final out of the game on a strike out looking.
 
The Fighting Owls have an off day on Thursday but will be back in action on Friday for a home doubleheader with Garrett. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.