Pictured from left to right: Sam Johnson, Riley Bramlett, Drake Mathis
The Hope Bobcats concluded their three-game week this past Friday with a home rematch against the Camden Fairview Cardinals, who won 12-11 in the inaugural face off against Hope last Tuesday. The Bobcats hoped to achieve a fourth victory to fully establish this season as an improving success. Unfortunately, the Bobcats simply could not contain the Cardinals as the away side would go on to win 11-2 in a lopsided game.
The Cardinals would get off to a quick start as they scored two runs in the top of the first inning, off of a fielding error and a double from #8 to score #19. After this sketchy beginning however, the Cats played solid defense overall early on, with great defensive resilience shown from First Baseman Drake Mathis, Third Baseman Riley Bramlett, Right Fielder Aiden Dean, and Catcher Trey Hoglund. Even so, the Bobcat offense never quite came together, with many pop ups for outs and players left on base plaguing the team the whole game. The situation would digress from bad to worse, as the Cardinals had two monstrous innings, scoring five runs in the fourth, and their final four in the fifth.
Amidst the disappointment, the Bobcats would at least give the crowd a moment to cheer for in the bottom of the fourth. Beginning with Donny Reaves’ hit turned error by the fielders to get him to second base, in-form Aiden Dean would step up to the plate and drive in the first Bobcat run of the game with a great single. Soon after, Israel Juarez would strike a bomb of a hit to deep right field, scoring Aiden Dean for the second and final run for the home side. The game’s scoring would end after the fifth, finishing with a final score of 11-2 Cardinals.
The Bobcats will turn right around and play another trio of match ups this week starting with their conference rivals, the Nashville Scrappers, at home on Tuesday, April 14th, at 5:00pm.
