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Midget AA Cardinals claw to victory

With the score tied at the bottom of the final inning, Cardinals Blue player Henry Murray only had one thought in his head – don't strikeout.

With the score tied at the bottom of the final inning, Cardinals Blue player Henry Murray only had one thought in his head – don't strike out.

Big points were on the line as St. Albert's U18 midget AA team faced off against the Fort Saskatchewan Red Sox on Thursday at Legion Memorial Ball Park. Although still early in the season, the Cardinals (1-1) were trailing slightly behind their North 2 rivals and needed a win to bump them up in the standings.

In a close back and forth game, Murray stepped up to the plate and cracked a hit to let teammate Marco Zubis come home with the winning run.

The Cardinals took the 13-12 barnburner.

Murray, who was the starting pitcher, said he felt pretty good about the game. He said all he was thinking while at bat was getting on base.

“I feel pretty good about myself and what’s happening with our team,” he said. “We’re improving a lot.”

Murray had a similar mindset when he was on the mound. He said he was focused on striking as many Red Sox players out as possible and keeping the number of runs on the scoreboard down.

The Cardinals were able to maintain a lead for most of the game thanks to six runs in the bottom of the first. The Red Sox were able to crawl back a bit at the top of the second with four runs of their own. The momentum of the game shifted in the bottom of the fourth when Steven Lund-Rachinski broke the tie thanks to a well-placed bunt by Owen Anderson.

Liam Fedorchuk, who relieved Murray in the third, kept batters at bay for most of the game before being changed out with Evin Storrie in the sixth.

Cardinals Blue head coach Allan Rachinski said Storrie showed real nerves of steel on the mound, especially when the Red Sox were able to tie up the score.

“He’s a great kid,” he said. “I talked earlier about composure and resilience and he’s a great case in point. It got tense at the end. Fort Saskatchewan tied the ballgame but Evin didn’t lose his composure and he kept throwing well. I’m really pleased for his sake in particular that we got a win for him.”

The Cardinals are currently down a player after Josh Meunier received an injury. Rachinski said Meunier will have a walking cast for about a month, which he feels will be a big loss for the team.

Rachinski added having another win helps the team out a lot and he hopes to continue to build on that success.

“They hung in there and won the ballgame," he said. “I’m very pleased for all of us. It’s a learn-by-doing process for them. I’m pleased with the progress they’re making.”

The Cardinals Blue is currently in a three-way tie for first with Fort Saskatchewan and the Edmonton Padres. All three teams have four points apiece.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals Red in the North 1 standings remain undefeated with a 4-0 record.

Both teams have league games scheduled for this weekend.

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