CLAREMONT — With some clutch hitting and solid performances on the mound, the Stevens High Cardinals outlasted visiting Mascoma, 8-3, in a midseason NHIAA Division III matchup on Tuesday evening at Barnes Park.
Senior Nevin Marsh led the way at the plate for the Cardinals with two hits that drove in four runs.
Junior Eric Emanouil got the start, making just his second pitching appearance of the season for Stevens. Senior Devyn Corliss, who struck out five Royals in relief, finished the game.
The final score of the game was a bit deceiving.
The Royals kept pace with the Cardinals for most of the contest, and the seven-inning game was tied up heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Both Emanouil and the Royals’ starter, senior Peyton Sargent, worked their way out of jams to keep the game scoreless after the first inning.
In the bottom of the second, the Cardinals got the scoring started on a base hit from Marsh that drove in two runs. Stevens extended its lead to 3-0 in the third inning on an RBI single from Emanouil.
The Cardinals relied on an aggressive baserunning approach, an emphasis for head coach Bill Bundy. The strategy had Sargent looking over his shoulder often in an attempt to keep runners close to the bag.
The Cardinals did see one runner picked off in the bottom of the third inning.
“We’re pretty aggressive; we like to go. We do a lot of things on the bases. If our team is on the bases, we’re a totally different team,” said Bundy.
The Royals began to stage a comeback in the top of the fourth.
Senior Marshall Yorke got his Royals on the board with an RBI single to left field to cut the Cardinals’ lead to two. Emanouil hit the next batter, senior Tanner Moulton, which loaded the bases and spelled the end of the Stevens starter’s outing.
Corliss entered the game, and though he did force in a run with a walk, he got two other Royals to strike out looking to keep the lead for the Cardinals at 3-2.
In the top of the sixth inning, Mascoma junior Mason Ballard hit an RBI single tie the game at 3-3. Unfortunately for the Royals, their momentum was short-lived as the Cardinals blew the game open in the bottom half of the sixth.
Ballard came in to relieve Sargent in the bottom of the sixth and inherited two baserunners before issuing a walk to Corliss to load the bases. A hit by Marsh drove in two runs to give the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.
“Nevin Marsh’s bat has really come alive lately. He’s our stud catcher. He really controls the game for us. He calls the game, he’s done a great job,” said Bundy.
After the game, Marsh credited his teammates for giving him the opportunity.
“I feel like it’s just the people in front of me,” he said. “If they hit good, I hit good. It’s a team thing, really.”
Stevens extended its lead to 8-3 before the sixth was over, and Corliss shut the door on Mascoma in the top of the seventh to seal the victory.
With the victory, the Cardinals move to 6-3 on the season and will look to keep up the winning as they head on the road to face Newfound on Friday.
“We have a lot of opportunity to make a lot of wins coming up here,” said Bundy, whose team starts five seniors and four juniors.
The loss dropped the Royals to 3-7. Mascoma’s next game was also against Newfound at home on Wednesday. The Royals are scheduled to host Kearsarge on Friday.
Michael Coughlin Jr. can be reached at mcoughlin@vnews.com.