Manatee Scores Four In Third En-Route To A Win

The Tampa Catholic Crusaders played host to the Manatee Hurricanes Thursday in a non-district match-up and the first of a home-and-home series between the two clubs. The Hurricanes hung four runs on the Crusaders in the third to help propel them to a 5-2 victory to snap their three-game losing streak.

Manatee (5-7) came into the game having lost three in a row and looked to turn things around on the road. Seth Miller got the scoring started for the Hurricanes in the second with a sacrifice fly to score Eric Crawford. In the third, the bats really came alive. With two outs in the inning, Collin Moore scored the second run of the game on a double from Dillion Sullivan. Sullivan came around to score on an error for the three-run lead two batters later. Manatee added two more runs in the inning to build a five run lead.

Andrew Shafer held the Crusaders (4-7) in check for most of the night. Shafer went on to pitch six-and-two-third innings, surrendering six hits and two runs, neither of which was earned. He struck out three batters and walked none.

The Crusaders got on the board in the third when Tanner Alvarado scored on a sacrifice hit from Anthony Enriquez. Enriquez had a solid night at the plate for the Crusaders, going 2-for-4 with the RBI. The Crusaders added one more run in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally ended there.

After throwing 98 pitches, Schafer was relieved on the mound by Moore, who came in to get the final out of the inning. Moore got Mitchel Carter to strikeout swinging to end the game and pick up the save.

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