BURLINGTON, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College baseball team's historic 2021 season came to an end on Sunday with a 3-2 loss to Pasco-Hernando (Fla.) in the South Atlantic District tournament held at the Burlington Athletic Stadium.
The Red Hawks finish their spring season with a 41-13 overall record.
Playing for the second time in less than 13 hours, the Red Hawks struggled to find offense in Sunday's season finale. They were held without a hit through 5.1 innings by Bobcats starting pitcher Justin Clark.
Pasco-Hernando took control early in Sunday's tournament elimination game, scoring on a sac fly by Matthew Coker in the first inning, and they added a run each in the third and fourth innings, including a solo home run by Diego Garcia in the fourth.
The Red Hawks reached base for the first time on a walk by catcher Jean Carlos Diaz in the bottom of the fifth inning, but they were unable to bring home a run.
Region 10 Player of the Year Chandler Blackwelder gave CVCC its first hit with one out in the sixth inning on a single to left field, but Catawba Valley didn't score, stranding the bases loaded during the inning.
The Red Hawk bats finally broke through in the seventh inning. After singles by third baseman Jordan Montgomery and left fielder Jackson Brown, center fielder Malik Stephens hit a double to left center field, scoring his teammates to make it a 3-2 game.
Stephens eventually stole third base during the inning, but was stranded after the Bobcats forced a pop out on the next at bat.
Red Hawk reliever Brett Banks held the Bobcat offense in check during the game's closing moments, allowing just two hits, one walk and striking out two batters in 3.1 innings.
Catawba Valley got the tying run on base during the bottom of the ninth inning on a walk by Diaz, but Pasco-Hernando reliever Alex Dominguez was able to force the game-inning double play to ended CVCC's season.
The 2021 CVCC baseball team finishes its season setting numerous team and individual records this season, including best winning percentage (.759), runs scores (551), RBI (476), home runs (68) and doubles (140).
