• Ontario
• Southwest Ontario
• Hamilton Region
• Hamilton

CARDINALS RAID BANDITS OF TWO WINS

Hamilton and Burlington played an IBL doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Nelson Park. The doubleheader was needed after an earlier game last month was rained out. Both teams entered the day with a one notch in the win column but it was the Cardinals who walked out with two more wins, defeating Burlington by identical 8-5 scores in both game. Game two of the twin bill would go to extra innings before Hamilton pulled out the win.

The Cardinals got on the board first. Geoffrey Seto hit a ground rule double before he was joined on base by Tyler Hardie who was hit by a pitch. Seto would move 90-feet closer to scoring when he tagged up on Dre Celestijn’s fly out to center. Seto would then score on a wild pitch to take the early lead.

Robert Wilson and Hamilton then got in trouble in the bottom of the second inning as Burlington sent 11 batters to the plate. The Bandits would score five times on just three hits to take a 5-1 lead on the Cardinals.

Hamilton cut into the lead in the third as Tyler Hardie launched his and the team’s first home run of the season which also scored Seto to make a two run game. In the fourth Jake Osborne hit his first career home run, a two-run shot, that would tie the game at five.

The Cardinals would take the lead for the second time in the game as they added two runs off of a pair of bases loaded walks in the fifth to go up 7-5 on Burlington. Hamilton added one more in the seventh when TJ Baker scored on an errant throw by the Bandits’ catcher to take game one of the doubleheader 8-5.

For the Cardinals, Wilson started the game but only lasted an inning and two-thirds, giving up five runs on three hits, walking four batters and striking out two. Jonathan Palumbo picked up the win in relief, going two and a third innings, allowing a hit and striking out three. Tim Black would pitch the fifth, allowing one hit. Russ Burroughs pitched the final two innings to pick up the save, walking one of six batters he faced.

For Burlington, Jack Dennis was tagged for the loss, giving up seven runs on seven hits, walking six and striking out two over four and a third innings. Brandon Hillier went the final two and two-thirds innings, allowing a run on two hits, walking three and striking out one.

Hamilton got off to a quick start in game two of the doubleheader as Connor Bowie hit a bases loaded, two out single to cash a pair of runs in. The Cardinals would add a run to their lead in the third when Bowie scored on an error.

The Bandits would battle back in their half of the third inning, scoring four times. Greg Marco led off with a single and later scored on John Whaley’s single. Two more singles would allow Whaley to move around the bases and cross the plate. Carlos Villoria would later hit a bases loaded single to bring in two runs and give Burlington a one run lead.

Hamilton would tie the game up in the top of the sixth, Marcus Dicenzo led off with a walk and then moved over on a sacrifice bunt by Seto. Dicenzo would then score on a Palumbo single.

Palumbo would give the Hamilton the lead for good with a bases loaded single in the top of the tenth. The Cardinals would go on to add three more runs while the Bandits picked up one in the bottom half to make the final 8-5.

Chris Beer started game two but only lasted an inning, giving up a hit and a walk, striking out two. Jake Foden took over in the second and went an inning and two-thirds, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. Merritt would then come in to pitch the next three and a third innings, allowing a hit and a walk. Palumbo went the final four innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits and striking out one for the win.

For the Bandits, Ryan Beckett started and went five innings, allowing four runs, one of which was unearned, on six hits while walking five batters and striking out five. Chrisitan Hauck would take the loss in relief of Beckett going four and a third innings, allowing four unearned runs on five hits, walking two and striking out two. Branden Kuzyk faced the final three Cardinals batters, allowing a hit.

GAME 1
Winning Pitcher: Jonathan Palumbo (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Jack Dennis (0-2)
Save: Russ Burroughs (1)

Burlington Hitters
Julian Johnson – 1 for 2 (Single, 2 Walks, Strikeout, Run, RBI)
Nolan Pettipiece – 1 for 2 (Single, Walk, Run)
Robert Tavone – 1 for 3 (Single, Hit by Pitch, Strikeout, Run)

Hamilton Hitters
Jake Osborne – 3 for 4 (2 Singles, 2-Run Home Run, Stolen Base, Run, 2 RBIs)
TJ Baker – 2 for 3 (Single, Double, Walk, 3 Runs)
Tyler Hardie – 1 for 3 (2-Run Home Run, Hit by Pitch, Walk, Reached on Error, Run, 2 RBIs)

GAME 2
Winning Pitcher: Jonathan Palumbo (2-0)
Losing Pitcher: Christian Hauck (1-1)
Burlington Hitters
Greg Marco – 2 for 4 (2 Singles, Hit by Pitch, Run)
Justin Gideon – 2 for 6 (2 Singles)
John Whaley – 1 for 4 (Single, Hit by Pitch, Run, RBI)

Hamilton Hitters
TJ Baker – 3 for 4 (2 Singles, Double, 2 Walks, RBI)
Jonathan Palumbo – 3 for 6 (2 Singles, Double, Strikeout, 2 Runs, 3 RBIs)
Dre Celestijn – 2 for 3 (2 Singles, Walk, Hit by Pitch, Sacrifice Fly)

Tickets for all Hamilton Cardinals home games are available at the Bernie Arbour Stadium Box Office on game day. For more information on Cardinals season passes email iblcardinals@gmail.com or visit the team’s website at www.iblcardinals.com.

Become a fan of the Cardinals on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HamiltonCardinals.
Follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HamCardinalsIBL.