ADNA — The Cardinals didn't fare well in Game 1, but contended until the final inning of the later outing as Adna swept Central 2B League opponent Winlock by scores of 12-1 (five innings) and 15-6 (six innings) here in baseball action on Friday.
Wyatt Dean led the Cardinal offense, going 2 for 2 with a run scored as part of the four total hits gathered by Winlock in the first game.
Spencer Burdick went 3 for 3 and knocked 4 runs for the Pirates in the opener, with a double and a triple. Bryce McCloskey went 3 for 3, and Isaac Ingle was 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs.
"We didn't play really well in that first one," Winlock coach Scott Weinert said. "We really didn't play like ourselves and this was a big challenge for us."
The Cardinals responded better in Game 2, drawing first blood with a run in the first inning before being answered with 7 runs in the bottom of the same frame by the Pirates.
"They got us upside the head again in the first inning," Weinert said. "The characteristic of young teams is you hang your head, especially when a team beats you so soundly before, but that wasn't us."
Winlock came back in the very next stanza to score 4 runs and reduce the deficit to a respectable margin before the Pirates went 1-1-6 in the final three innings to end it in six.
Wyatt Dean went 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs and a stolen base while Derek Chilcoate was 1 for 3 with 2 runs, an RBI, and two stolen bases for Winlock.
"I'm really happy with how my team responded by doing the things that they do well," Weinert said. "To me, being able to get back into it in the second inning and put 4 runs up made me really proud of these guys."
Marcus Hampton was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and 3 RBIs in the nightcap for Adna. Burdick added three more hits, with an RBI, and Wes Wilson drove in 3 runs and went 3 for 3.
"They're doing a nice job," Adna coach Jon Rooklidge said of the Cardinals. "They've struggled this year, but those kids and coaches are nothing but positive. I was very impressed by their kids and their approach."
Winlock (1-12 league, 1-13 overall) will host Mossyrock for a twinbill on Wednesday and Adna (11-3 league, 13-3 overall) will play a doubleheader at Toutle Lake on the same day.
