Maxwell Urena’s Big Day Propels CCBC Essex Past CCAC Wildcats

Rosedale, MD – Sophomore Maxwell Urena (Brooklyn, NY / Christ the King) had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 to lead CCBC Essex past CCAC Wildcats 6-5 in Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader. Urena's hits came in the first, fourth, and seventh innings, providing a steady spark for the Knights offense.

CCBC Essex jumped ahead with a 4-run lead in the fourth, but had to hold off a late surge by the Wildcats, who chipped away with runs via a walk, a dropped third strike, a groundout, and a sacrifice fly.

CCAC Wildcats opened the scoring in the second when William Ampudia drew a bases-loaded walk. The Knights responded in the bottom of the inning as Jimmy Perez (Queens, NY / High School for Arts and Business) grounded out to drive in a run and Eduardo Zayas (Cidra, PR / Bilingual Education School at Cidra) added an RBI single to center.

After a sac fly by Aidan McLaughlin tied the game at five in the top of the seventh, CCBC Essex executed when it mattered most.

Logan Bennett (Forest Hills, NY / Forest Hills) earned the win for the Knights, throwing 1.2 innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Casey Parsons (Salisbury, MD / Parkside) started the game, going four innings with five strikeouts, allowing just one hit and one run. Aidan Cellilli finished off the game with a scoreless inning of relief.

Perez led the team with two RBIs, while William Hartman (Reisterstown, MD / Franklin) added two hits in two trips to the plate. Hiyu Ota (Sammu Chida, Japan / Chiba Prefectural Naruto Senior) swiped two bases as the Knights stole three in total. 

Ampudia led CCAC with two hits and two stolen bases. McLaughlin chipped in with one RBI.

The Knights improve to 26-25 on the season and will honor a faculty member selected by the sophomore class in between games. The second game of the doubleheader marks the conclusion of the 2024-2025 regular season.