MATTHEW SMITH (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

The Florence Bobcats scored the first run of the game against host Crandon on Wednesday, but the Cardinals took over from there and posted a 12-2 five-inning victory in Northern Lakes Conference action.

Matthew Smith put Florence on the board in the first with an RBI single. Crandon answered with two runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the second to build a 4-1 advantage.

Smith came through again with an RBI in the third to slice the Florence deficit to two, but the Cardinals broke through with four in the third and three more in the fourth to grab control at 11-2.

Crandon added a single tally in the fifth to end the game early.

The Bobcats committed three errors that led to eight unearned runs.

Bradley Steber started for Florence and absorbed the loss. He went one inning and allowed six hits and three earned runs.

Mason Koski relieved and pitched the next three innings, surrendering four hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Koski was tagged with seven runs but none of them were earned.

Smith and Trent McLain delivered three singles each to account for all the hits recorded by the Bobcats.