Hayden Setzer hit two homeruns, a double, and drove in five runs as the Caldwell Cobras handed Catawba Valley their first loss of the 2023 season, 17-4 in eight innings Friday at Henkel-Alley Field in Hickory.

Setzer went 3-4 at the plate in a game that featured six homeruns by the Cobras (3-1). Setzer’s three-run homerun in the top of the first inning put Caldwell on the board. Garrison Burress also had a homerun in the inning as the Cobras built a 5-0 lead after the top half of the inning.

Catawba Valley got its first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning via a solo homerun Sean Seale to cut the deficit to 5-1.

Caldwell would strike for five runs in the top of the fifth inning. Bo Davidson and Jacob Bebber would each hit a two RBI homerun and Burress would add an RBI single, as the Cobras increased their lead to 10-1.

In the sixth inning Bebber added to his RBI total, collecting two more on a double. Bebber finished with four RBI on the day. Catawba Valley would add two runs in the bottom half of the inning with a Jack Stevens two RBI homerun and the score was 12-3 heading to the seventh inning.

Caldwell scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning. Setzer had a two RBI homerun as did Breon Ishmael. JT Facteau closed out the Cobra scoring with a sac-fly RBI. The Red Hawks’ Aiden Wilson scored on a pass ball in the bottom half of the inning, but the Cobras would close out the game to win via the mercy rule, 17-4 in eight innings.

Luke Maicon earned the victory on the mound for Caldwell, pitching six innings and allowing three runs off of four hits while striking four.