HICKORY, N.C. — A five-run fifth inning proved decisive as the Cleveland Community College Yetis overcame an early deficit to defeat the Catawba Valley Red Hawks 7–4 in Tuesday night's NJCAA Region matchup. Despite trailing through the early innings, a composed bullpen effort and timely extra-base hits fueled the Yetis' comeback on the road.

Early Action: Red Hawks Jump Ahead

Catawba Valley wasted no time striking first, plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Drew Berenyi scored on a single by Mason Mozeley, followed by runs from Pierce Bouwman and Mozeley on groundouts that gave the Red Hawks a 3–1 lead.

The Yetis countered with single runs in the first and second innings—Riley Stiles scored on a wild pitch in the first, and Owen Liberto crossed home on a Bryson Dempsey single in the second.

The Red Hawks briefly extended their lead to 4–2 in the second, thanks to Berenyi scoring again on a double play.

Turning Point: The Explosive Fifth Inning

Cleveland's offense exploded in the fifth inning, scoring five runs to take the lead for good. The Yetis capitalized on defensive miscues and strung together a series of productive at-bats:

• Cruise Arnold delivered a sacrifice fly to score Logan Norris.

• A fielder's choice allowed Nick Morris to cross the plate.

• Mason White smashed a double to score another run.

• Bryson Dempsey, who had a standout day at the plate, capped the inning with a two-run double.

This offensive outburst flipped the score to 7–4, where it would remain for the rest of the game.

Bullpen Dominance: Yetis Pitchers Shut Down Red Hawks

After a shaky first two innings from starter Kohen Orr (3 ER in 0.2 IP) and reliever Carter Sterchi, the Yetis' bullpen locked in:

• Ian Hawk delivered 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out four.

• Two additional relievers combined for 5.0 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball, including the winning pitcher, Liam Foley, 1–0, who contributed 2.0 IP with 3 strikeouts.

• The final inning saw a dominant closeout with 3 strikeouts and no baserunners.

In total, the Yetis bullpen struck out 13 batters, allowing only 3 hits and 4 walks in 8.1 innings.

Key Performers

Cleveland Yetis

• Bryson Dempsey (C): 2-for-2, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 double

• Mason White (3B): 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 double

• Nick Morris (DH): 1-for-3, 2 BB, 1 double, 1 SB

• Pitching Staff: Combined 13 strikeouts, only 6 hits allowed, and no earned runs after the second inning

What's Next

The Yetis improve with a momentum-building win, showcasing depth in the bullpen and resilience at the plate. They have one last regular season game series this weekend as they travel to Wake Tech for Friday and Saturday games.