5-run 5th dooms Cardinals to first setback of the season, 5-3

special by Joe Selby.

The Bishop Ireton Cardinals (1-1, 0-0) built an early edge on Monday, but the T.C. Williams Titans roared back to steal a 5-3 victory at Simpson Field Monday in Alexandria.

After Ireton bolted to a 3-0 lead early in the game, the Titans took the lead a five-run fifth inning, aided by three-run home run by Brandon Beck. Ireton’s Andrew Selby went a perfect 2-2 at the plate for the Bishop Ireton Cardinals. He singled in the first and third innings. The Cardinals’ starter, Ben Judd handled the T.C. Williams Titans’ lineup early, racking up five strikeouts. The righthander gave up just four hits over four shutout innings.

Tyler Ratliff got the win in relief for the Titans, pitching three scoreless innings. T.C. Williams was sparked by Beck and Alec Grosser, who teamed up for four hits and five RBIs. It was Grosser’s single when Ireton reliever Nick Tangora was one strike from escaping the disasterous 5th unscathed, that plated the Titans’ first two runs; Beck delivered the knockout homer two hitters later.

The top of the first saw the Cardinals take an early lead, 3-0. Catcher Corey Phillips started the rally for the visiting redbirds with a single. A stolen base then moved Phillips from first to second. Bishop Ireton added more runs when Joe Bagnerise scored on a wild pitch and Selby followed on yet another errant pitch.

The Titans never surrendered the lead after the fifth inning. Ireton got the tying run to the plate in their final at bat, only to see the home team turn a game-ending double play.

Rain has washed out the Tuesday matchup with the Potomac School, now set for Wednesday in McLean.