On a cold Sunday, the RedHawks traveled to Calumet High School to take on the Crimson Wave of Calumet College of St. Joseph. The game started slow, but thanks to four RBI's by Ethan Arvay and some timely hitting, the Hawks recorded their first win of the season and matched their total from 2009 with an 11-7 triumph over the Crimson Wave.

The home team struck in the bottom of the first as leadoff hitter Ryan Senko began with a single and Chris Banks tripled him home with a drive to right field. John Chance grounded to short to drive home Banks and make the score 2-0 after one.

But these Hawks came ready to battle and the top of the second inning proved it. DH Jesse Tomich was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. A ground out by Chris Samano moved Tomich to second base and Ryan Halbe walked. After a passed ball got Tomich to third, Ethan Arvay surprised the Wave with a squeeze bunt that scored Tomich with the first run. Then the Hawks got a two out gift run as right fielder Jamar Averyhart reached on an error to score Halbe and tie the game.

After the Wave took the lead on a home run by Louis Angeles, the Hawks battled back again in the top of the fourth. A two out walk to Ryan Halbe got the rally started. A single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases and brought up leadoff man Jon Cardenas. After an eight pitch battle, Cardenas drew a walk which allowed Halbe to score and tie the game 3-3.

The Crimson Wave battled back in the bottom of the fourth as a walk to Louis Angeles began the inning. After a ground out moved the runner to second, Kenny Segal laced a double to score Angeles and break the tie. Ryan Senko got an RBI ground out to extend the lead to 5-3.

The lead eventually became 6-3 moving into the sixth inning and given how this season has gone, you would think that would be all the Crimson Wave would need. But the RedHawks battled back again. After Chris Samano struck out to begin the inning, Ryan Halbe was hit by a pitch and then swiped second base. Ethan Arvay came through in the clutch again with a single to score Halbe to cut the deficit to two. Arvay advanced to second on an error in right field. After a strikeout, and a single by Jon Cardenas, a balk produced the second run of the inning. The RedHawks finally got a big two-out hit from Jeremy Ratajczyk as he smacked a double to score Cardenas and tie the game at 6.

The Crimson Wave took the lead on an error by Jeremy Ratajczyk at 7-6 and held the lead until the eighth inning.

That's when the bats broke loose for the Hawks as they put together their most productive inning of the year. Jon Cardenas walked to begin the inning. After a ground out , a stolen base, and a walk put runners at the corners, Miguel Frausto surprised the Crimson Wave with a second squeeze bunt to bring home the tying run. Then Jesse Tomich gave the Hawks the lead with a double to right to score the go-ahead run. Chris Samano then reached on an error to score Jesse Tomich. Ryan Halbe then reached on an error to load the bases. Then Ethan "Big E" Arvay put the game away with a stinging double to right to score Samano and Halbe to make the score 11-7 RedHawks.

Then it was up to starting pitcher Christian Jefferson. After allowing seven runs through the game, Jefferson seemed to be getting stronger as the game got longer. Every time he took the mound, his confidence grew more and more. He mowed down the Crimson Wave for the final six outs to secure the win. Jefferson pitched a complete game throwing 160 pitches, recording nine strikeouts with six walks. He gave up seven runs, but only four were earned.

The Hawks host Cardinal Stritch University on Tuesday March 30th in a doubleheader at 1pm CDTand then visit the Wolves in Wisconsin on Wednesday. All the games can be heard on the Redhawk Sports Network.