Alexander Daniels went 4–for–4 with four RBIs to pace the Hammond Skyhawks to an 18–8 victory over the Cardinal Newman Cardinals Friday, April 16 at Polo Road Field.

The fireworks started early for both clubs. Hammond (12–5, 6–2) jumped on Cardinal starter Jack Moore for three runs in the first, including a straight steal of home by Kyle Towles and an RBI single by Daniels. But Cardinal Newman (5–14, 2–6) came right back in the bottom half of the inning off Skyhawks’ southpaw Gus Inabinet. Following a bases–loaded walk by David Richardson, Jack McDonald lined a two–run single to right–center to tie the score at 3.

Hammond then scored six in the second inning, chasing Moore from the mound. Les Cotter and Brooks Borders hit back–to–back run scoring doubles. Towles followed with an RBI single, and after a hit batsman and a double steal, Michael Collins hit a two–run single to left. Daniels completed the scoring with an RBI double to left.

Cardinal Newman would not be put down so easily, however, as they chased Inabinet with a three–run second. After two walks and a wild pitch put runners on second and third, Eddie Colombo drove in one with a groundout to second. Tommy Winterstein and Taylor Patten followed with back–to–back run scoring singles.

The pitching then settled down for the next couple of innings. The Skyhawks were only able to score single runs in the third and fourth innings off Cardinal hurler Chris Kolp. The runs scoring on a wild pitch and a balk. Cardinal Newman could muster only two runs in the fourth off Hammond pitcher Alexander Jenkins on an RBI triple by Patten and a run–scoring single by McDonald leaving the score at 11–8 Hammond going to the fifth.

Kolp tired in the fifth, however, and the Skyhawks took advantage, scoring seven runs. After Cotter and Borders both bunted for hits, Towles hit a sacrifice fly. Then, after a walk and an infield single, Daniels looped a two–run single to right. Andrew Lamb followed with an RBI single. Fred Wadsworth drove in a run with a groundout, and Inabinet drove in a run with a single to right. Inabinet then scored on a throwing error to complete the tallying for the Skyhawks.

Borders finished 3–for–5 with an RBI, and Towles ended 2–for–2 with two RBIs and six stolen bases for Hammond. McDonald was 2–for–3 with three RBIs for the Cardinals, Winterstein was 3–for–4, and Patten was 2–for–2 with two RBIs.