CATONSVILLE, MD – The Harford Fighting Owls battled hard in a doubleheader yesterday on the road against CCBC Catonsville, securing a commanding 9-5 victory in the first game before narrowly falling 5-4 in the second.
Game 1: Fighting Owls Soar to 9-5 Win
Harford wasted no time making an impact, as Kayla Gist (Hanover Township, Pa.) launched a two-run home run to center field in the first inning to put the Fighting Owls on the board with an early 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals responded quickly, tying the game in the home half of the first, but the Fighting Owls regained control in the second on an RBI single from Arianna Blum (Harford Technical).
In the third inning, Brianna Lunenfeld (Harford Technical) extended Harford's lead with a clutch RBI single, making it 4-2. Catonsville rallied again, tying the game again in the fourth inning and took 5-4 lead in the fifth.
However, the Fighting Owls responded in dominant fashion, exploding for five runs in the sixth inning.
Kaylee Pruett (Rising Sun) delivered the game-winning, RBI single to score Gist. Harford added a run on a wild pitch, then Hayden Kobert (Harford Technical) and Arianna Blum (Harford Technical) delivered a pair of RBI singles to seal the victory.
Starting pitcher Anna Sexton (Nottingham, Pa.) went the distance for Harford, allowing five runs on 13 hits while striking out eight.
The Fighting Owls' offense was in top form, tallying 15 hits, including multi-hit performances from Eliza Lane (Dillsburg, Pa.), Sexton, Blum, Gist, and Kobert.
Game 2: Fighting Owls' Rally Falls Just Short
In the second game, the Fighting Owls nearly erased a four-run deficit, but fell just short in a 5-4 loss.
The Cardinals struck first, scoring in the second inning and steadily building a 4-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh.
However, Harford refused to back down, mounting a comeback in the final inning.
Sexton brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Gist followed with a clutch three-run homer to left field to tie the game at four.
Gist is slashing .339/.413/.732 this season with five home runs, 18 RBIs, five doubles and a triple. She has a .500 batting average, four homers and 14 RBIs in her last four games.
Unfortunately, Harford's comeback was short lived, as Catonsville walked off a 5-4 win the next half inning on a walk-off single.
Pruett took the loss for Harford, pitching six and one-third innings while giving up five runs on 13 hits.
Looking Ahead
The Fighting Owls have won four of their last six games and will look to build on this momentum tomorrow as they return home to host a double header against Allegany. First pitch is schedule for 1:00 p.m.
