MOONEY DROPS HEARTBREAKER TO IRISH

STRUTHERS, Ohio

Cold and uneventful through the first 3 innings, a matchup between two storied programs in St. Vincent-St. Mary and Cardinal Mooney turned out to be a back-and-forth affair.

Plating one in the bottom half of the fourth, Mooney took the lead thanks to a ground out by Mickey Valesquez that allowed Ian Francis to come across. Valesquez’s ground out also advanced Matt Womer to third with one away. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, a ground out and an eventual pickoff at first base would strand the runner.

St. V’s needed no time at all to respond, both tying and taking the lead thanks to one swing of the bat by senior Andrew Morse. With runners on second and third with two away, Morse would rope one into left field to clear the bases.

The Irish would go on to score another run in the top half of the 6th when back-to-back walks put two men on with only one away. Solid all day defensively, Saint V’s Aistis Miskinis made his mark offensively on the game when he hit an infield single to bring across a run and move the Irish lead to 3-1.

After a scoreless bottom 6th and top 7th, the Cardinal’s headed to the plate with just 3 outs to score at least 2 runs. A dropped third strike that allowed the leadoff runner to reach followed by a walk had runners on the corners with one away. A fielders choice allowed Mooney to come within 1 but also left them with just 1 out remaining.

With a runner on third and no outs left to give, Mooney had one of their quickest on the basepath paired with one of their best hitters at the dish. Already with a double to his name, Ethan Shaw needed to just put one into the outfield to give the runner on second, Jordan Sheehan, a chance to score. Shaw would deliver with a bloop single into right field and tie the ballgame at 3.

A valiant effort to battle back was in the end, unrewarding for Mooney. In the top half of their first extra inning, Saint V’s Morse would again deliver when it mattered most, this time with an RBI single that was knocked down by Ethan Shaw but never had a chance to make the out. Trailing by one, the Cardinals were unable to recreate their same 7th inning magic, dropping to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 4-3.

TOP PERFORMERS:

CARDINAL MOONEY

Ethan Shaw – 2-for-4, 1 double, 1 RBI

Mickey Valesquez – 2-for-4, 1 RBI

ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY

Andrew Morse – 2-for-5, 3 RBIs

Nick Cody – 8 innings pitched, 5 Ks, complete game

*Contributed By YSN’s Jamie Thomson