Heathwood Hall’s Chris Barton steals second base as Cardinal Newman’s Thomas Joseph prepares for the throw from home. Barton finished 3–for–3 with three stolen bases and three runs. Photos by Mike Maddock The Heathwood Hall Highlanders scored 12 runs in the first four innings against Cardinal Newman on Friday, April 23, and seemed to be in good shape to pull into a second– place tie in the region with Ben Lippen. The Highlanders then saw the tying run come into the on–deck circle before finally defeating the Cardinals 12–8.

Chris Barton led off the game for Heathwood (13–8, 6–4) with a single to left. He promptly stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on the first of six Cardinal errors. The Highlanders scored three more runs in the inning on no more hits, aided greatly by two more errors and two passed balls.

They continued plating runs in the second, adding three runs with two outs helped by two Cardinal errors and a double by Trey Limehouse. Then Heathwood erupted for five more runs in the fourth on singles by starting pitcher Derek Kaczmarski, senior Will Stormer, Barton, Limehouse, and a two–run double by senior catcher Walker Sojourner.

Heathwood Hall’s Derek Kaczmarski pitches against Cardinal Newman. Cardinal Newman (5–18, 2–8) seemed listless in the field and at the plate in the early going knowing that this game meant nothing more than the end to a disappointing season. Hard–luck starter Tommy Winterstein gave up all 12 runs, only five of which were earned, but he gutted out five innings striking out nine and raising his season total to 60.

Kaczmarski, in contrast, breezed through the first four innings giving up three hits and striking out four. But in the fifth inning, the Cardinals seemed to wake up. Catcher Logan Parker walked with one out and went to third when Connor Desmond hit a hard grounder the Highlanders misplayed into a two–base error. Eddie Colombo drove in Parker with Cardinal Newman’s first run on another miscue. Winterstein hit an RBI double, and Taylor Patten followed with another hard ground ball scoring Winterstein. Suddenly it was 12–4.

Heathwood Hall’s Trey Limehouse went 2– for–4 with two RBIs and three runs. David Richardson came on to pitch for the Cardinals and threw two 1–2–3 innings setting the stage for a furious Cardinal rally. Winterstein led off with a single and advanced to third on a fielding error, then scored on a balk. Patten singled, Thomas Joseph walked, and Richardson hit an RBI double to cut the score to 12–6. Jack McDonald followed with an RBI single to score Joseph, and J. B. Carrouth plated Richardson on a groundout to make it 12–8. The Cardinals then got two on and Winterstein, the tying run, into the on–deck circle, but Highlander hurler Whit Hensley got Colombo to ground back to the box to end the game.

Barton finished 3– for–3 with three stolen bases and three runs, and Limehouse was 2–for–4 with two RBIs and three runs for the Highlanders. Winterstein finished 3– for–3 with an RBI and two runs for the Cardinals.

The Highlanders defeated Robert E. Lee taking 2–of–3 games from the Cavaliers to advance to the second round of the SCISA 3A playoffs. They face Northwood in a three game series Friday, April 30.