PLAYOFF FINAL: Carolina Cardinals 2, Carolina Bombers 1
In a hard-fought pitchers’ duel, the Cardinals edged out the Bombers with a walk-off 2–1 win on Sunday in Jacksonville!
Player of the Game: J. Del Rosario (#91)
Del Rosario came up clutch on both sides of the ball, tossing 5 shutout innings on the mound and driving in a run at the plate.
Line: 1-2, 2 BB, 1 RBI, 2B, SB | 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning when Cardinal Eddie Cast singled on the second pitch of the inning. Two batters later, Del Rosario doubled to left field, scoring Cast.
In the top of the 8th, the Bombers showed resilience after a Tripp Creech walk and Will Slaugenhoup hit-by-pitch manufactured a run on a dropped third-strike and errant throw.
After a scoreless bottom of the 8th and top of the 9th, the stage was set for the Cardinals. Walks to Del Rosario and Rich Mason, and a single by Aaron Hernandez loaded the bases for Thomas Travolina. With one out, Travolina hit a flare over the second baseman’s head, allowing Del Rosario to score the winning run and advance the Cardinals into the second round of the CMBL Playoffs.
Travolina led the Cardinals with two hits, while Del Rosario, Hernandez, Cast, and Pablo Fernandez all picked up a hit in the win. Hector Garcia also added four solid innings in relief to earn the win.
For the Bombers, Tripp Creech led the charge offensively with two walks, two hits, including a double, and a run scored. On the mound, Will Slaugenhoup kept the Bombers in the game all day.
The #7 Cardinals will play the #2 Seed on July 13th in Wilmington.
The #10 Bombers will drop to the Loser’s Bracket and await the loser of #1 WarDogs vs #9 Renegades.
