Big Fourth Inning Pushes Harford Fighting Owls Past CCBC Essex

Bel Air, MD – A tough fourth inning proved costly for CCBC Essex, as they dropped a non-region matchup to Harford Community College, 9-1, on Sunday. The Fighting Owls used a six-run fourth inning to put the game out of reach and keep the Knights from gaining momentum in the weekend showdown.

Harford opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a double from Rueben Livingston, who would later tag up and score to make it 2-0 early. The real damage came in the fourth, as the Owls strung together four hits, including a solo homer from Derek Poole and a two-run single by Keldrin Rodriguez, extending their lead to 8-0.

Freshman Austin Shiflett (Dundalk, MD / Sparrows Point) got the start for CCBC Essex and battled through three and two-thirds innings, allowing eight runs—only three earned—on eight hits, with one strikeout and three walks.

Offensively, the Knights were limited to just three hits, with Freshman Laurin Guerra Guzman (Caguas, PR / Puerto Rico Baseball Academy), Sophomore Jimmy Perez (Queens, NY / High School for Arts and Business), and Sophomore Rafael Castillo (Queens, NY / High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture) each collecting a knock. Perez drove in the lone run for Essex with a single in the fourth inning.

Despite the quiet bats, the Knights played clean defense and turned a double play in the game.

For Harford, Liam Diehl earned the win, going the distance with seven innings of work, allowing just one run while striking out eight. Rodriguez led the Owls offensively with three RBIs, and Poole contributed both with the bat and in the field, leading the team with 10 defensive plays.

Game Two of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin in 30 minutes.