Box Score STEVENSON, Md. – Stevenson junior Kevin Carricato smacked two homeruns to plate four RBIs as the Stevenson baseball team (2-7-1) defeated Lancaster Bible (0-1) by a score of 8-6 Tuesday afternoon at Sugar Field. The win ended a four-game losing streak for the Mustangs.
Stevenson used timely hitting and a strong performance from starting pitcher Brady Power to open a 6-0 advantage through the first three innings. Power allowed only one runner to reach base in the first inning but forced a fly out to leave the Charger baserunner stranded at second. The Mustang starter would then strikeout the next six Lancaster Bible batters. Meanwhile, the Mustang hitters were warming up.
Stevenson plated a lone run in the second when Trevor Smoot reached on a fielder's choice and scored from first on a Will Mesa double to the Left-Center gap. The Mustangs split open the lead with a five-run third inning. Brandon Perillo reached on a hit-by-pitch and promptly stole second, reaching third on a wild pitch before Eric Mondragon was walked too. Mondragon also picked up a stolen base to move two runners into scoring position for Amani Jones.
Jones picked up his first RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to right field, deep enough to score the run and move Mondragon to third. Jonathan Brandt, making his first appearance in 2022, notched a single to plate Mondragon from third, making the Mustang lead 3-0. Brandt was retired on a pick off but the Mustangs added runner back to the bases when Tommy Holcomb was hit by a pitch and Trevor Smoot reached base on an error, setting the table for Kevin Carricato. Carricato smacked his first homerun of the afternoon deep to left-center field and notching three RBIs to move the Stevenson margin to 5-0.
Lancaster Bible responded in the fourth with a lead-off double followed by a walk before Tyler Cunningham added a three-run homerun of his own. The Chargers would add a run on an error to make the score 4-6 in favor of the Mustangs before Power retired his final batter on a ground out.
LBC added a run on a double to left-center from Ethan Varricchione in the fifth. Stevenson's Carricato smacked a solo homerun to straight-away left field in the bottom half of the inning for his second round-tripper of the afternoon and to hold the Stevenson advantage to two runs.
The Mustangs played sound defense in the following innings, relinquishing a single run in the eighth before a strong individual effort from Amani Jones, who snagged a line drive destined for extra bases and tagged out the Charger baserunner at second for an inning-ending double play. The Mustangs responded in the bottom half of the frame with a run of their own to keep the lead at two runs.
The Stevenson defense remained strong. In the bottom of the ninth, Lancaster Bible's Varricchione stung a line drive snared by Jonathan Brandt who promptly threw over to first for a game-ending double play.
Numbers and Notes
- Kevin Carricato went 3-4 at the plate, adding two homeruns and tallying four RBIs to lead the Mustangs in each category this season.
- Brady Power struck out seven and allowed four runs on four hits in his 4.0 innings of work.
- Patrick O'Farrell picked up his first win of the season going two innings on the mound with one hit, one run and one strikeout.
- Jackson Mayo picked up his first-career save in his 10th career appearance.
- Patrick O'Farrell added two innings of work on the mound, allowing one run on four hits and striking out one LBC hitter.
What's Next
- Stevenson remains at home for their next four matchups, a three-game series with Ursinus this weekend (March 4 and 5) before taking on McDaniel (March 8).
