On March 14, the varsity baseball team played a strong game against the Mission Bears who they crushed with a final score of 10-3 at the Crocker Diamonds.

The first inning started off with two runs hit in by junior outfielder Connor Vo, placing the Cardinals at a 2-0 lead over the Bears. Bears responded with earring two runs and tied up the game as they head into the second inning. The first inning ended 2-2 with a star catch by sophomore infielder Philippe Astier.

The second inning started out with a double by senior outfielder Trey Chase and two consecutive outs, leaving Chase on second. Chase stole third and home to raise the Cardinals’ score to 3-2. The Bear’s pitcher walked the next two batters, they moved forward to third and second after a fumble by the Bears’ outfield. Junior infielder Cameron Tang hit in two more runs, raising the score again to 5-2. Tensions arose as the Bears’ pitcher seemed to balk, but the umpire overruled the call. The Bears began the second with a double and then a quick tag out at second after a single was hit. Tension arose again when the bases were loaded after a walk. A player for the Bears was hit to walk in a run, raising the score to 5-3 and the inning ended after a quick out.

A pitching change for the Bears started off the third inning. The Cardinals’ first batter, Chase, was hit by a pitch in the leg. Sophomore first basemen Luke Closson got on base with a single. Astier got on base but Closson is tagged out a second. A hit by senior outfielder Jordan Bach moved Astier to third. Top of the inning ended with the unchanged score at 5-3. No runs were scored by the Bears, as sophomore infield and pitcher Jack Schoenherr pitched well again ending the inning with a score of 5-3.

The Cardinals continued to dominate in the fourth inning. The first hit was a single by Tang who stole second. Senior catcher Levi Humphrey was hit by a pitch and got on base. Tang and Humphrey both scored runs. Closson was walked to fill the bases after two other Cardinals get on base. After a fumble by the Bears, outfielder, Koulias scored a run for the Cards again. Closson and junior Antonio Pacheco both scored runs. As the Bears’ offense was quickly retired by Schoenherr, the Cardinals ended the inning 10-3.

The fifth inning lasted shortly for both the Cardinals’ offense and defense as no runs were scored and only two Bears players reached the bases. Still holding the lead of 10-3 they quickly moved on to the next inning.

The Cardinals started off the sixth inning with a single by Koulias and a controversial double play. The uncertain second out at first base by the Bears caused tension between Cardinals’ head coach, Daryl Semein and the umpire. One more batter gets on, but none scored and the inning quickly finished with the score 10-3.

The last inning was a series of quick outs by both the Bears and the Cardinals. Nonetheless, Lowell won the game with a score of 10-3. This adds the second win of the season for the Cardinals.

Reflecting on the team’s victory, Semein felt the Cardinals played an outstanding game. “It was a total team effort; everybody was in it [and] we made the plays and put the ball in play and exacted our style of baseball,” Semein said. “So it was a total team win today.” He is confident about the rest of the season and is proud of the effort and work his players put in every day.

The players felt especially proud of the way the team pulled through in the end. “I think we came out with really great intensity and healed it though the entire game,” Koulias said. “We really came out wanting to win and obviously we showed it and we won.”