Cardinals finish weekend with comeback win
Over 500 fans spent their Father's Day at CARSTAR Field on Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful day for baseball as the Cardinals were looking to finish the weekend with another win.
The Panthers took an early lead in the first inning, scoring one run to match Hamilton's run. However, Kitchener had a strong second inning, scoring four runs to extend their lead. Jacklin, Curtis, Gonzalez, and Wilson contributed with hits and RBIs, putting their team in a favorable position.
Hamilton Cardinals responded in the bottom of the second inning, scoring one run on the Dennis Dei Baning home run, but Kitchener maintained their lead. Both teams struggled to add runs in the third and fourth innings, leaving the score at 5-3 in favor of the Panthers.
However, the Cardinals came alive in the fifth inning, scoring two runs to tie the game. The momentum shifted in their favor, and they capitalized on it. Kitchener's offense couldn't find their rhythm in the remaining innings, failing to put any more runs on the board. Corben Peters was effective out of the pen and only gave up 1 hit over 2 innings.
Hamilton finally took the lead on a Tyler Duncan home run in the seventh inning and then added four runs in the eighth inning with a Laine Renaud 2 run double and Tristan Osika home run, giving them a comfortable lead. The Panthers were unable to mount a comeback, and the game ended with a final score of 10-5 in favor of the Cardinals.
Corben Peters of the Hamilton Cardinals earned the win on the mound, delivering two scoreless innings of relief pitching. Lawrence of the Kitchener Panthers was charged with the loss after giving up one run in his one inning of work. Stefan Strecker secured the save for Hamilton.
Offensively, Jacklin and Curtis stood out for the Panthers, each contributing two hits and an RBI. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the Cardinals' strong pitching and offense. The Cardinals' lineup showcased power hitting, with Duncan, Dei Baning, and Osika hitting home runs to fuel their victory.
The game lasted 2 hours and 56 minutes. The Hamilton Cardinals improved their record to 9-6-0, while the Kitchener Panthers dropped to 8-7-0.
The Cardinals next game will be on Thursday night in Welland and then return home on Friday night against the London Majors and a Sunday afternoon matchup against Brantford.