Senior captain Pat Hercinger went 2-for-4 with a run scored, two RBIs and a walk as Maryland Eastern Shore's comeback in the latter innings at Navy fell short, 10-6, at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium Tuesday.
The Hawks (11-31) spotted the Midshipmen (16-23-1) an 8-0 lead through four innings, but scored all six of their runs from the sixth inning on to give their in-state rivals a scare.
Senior first baseman Jorge Pichardo also had a pair of base hits for UMES and was 2-for-5 with an RBI triple and a run.
Freshman left-hander John DesChamps turned in a quality start going six innings for UMES. He allowed six earned runs on 11 hits and five walks while striking out six to drop to 3-5 on the season.
Navy starter Jeff Murdza (1-1) earned his first career win lasting 5.1 innings and allowing three runs on three hits. He walked four and fanned three.
The Midshipmen outhit the Hawks by a 13-7 margin as four players had multiple-knock outings led by leadoff batter Mike Guadagnini. The Navy shortstop finished3-for-5 with three runs scored and one driven in.
Navy opened the scoring with three runs in the second inning. DesChamps retired the first two batters he faced but a pair of errors put runners on first and second. Nick Driscoll lined an RBI single to right, scoring Mike Hoosier. Guadagnini followed with double to left to make it 2-0 and Kendall Bolt added a bloop single for the three-run advantage.
The Mids extended their lead with five in the fourth. Hoosier began the inning with a double. After a flyout Guadagnini hit an infield single and stole second. J.D. Melton walked to load the bases before Kendall Bolt drew another walk to force in Navy's fourth run.
Michael Speciale increased the lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly to left and Melton scored when Melton was hit by a pitch. Josh Moore made it 8-0 with an RBI single through the right side of the infield.
Murdza tired in the sixth as the UMES cut the lead to 8-3. With one out, Hercinger reached on a fielder's choice to third and was brought home on a Bryan Chaikowsky triple to left. A second consecutive triple from Pichardo scored Hercinger and spelled the end of the day for Murdza.
Chip Tengler came in to surrender an RBI groundout to Franklin Armstrong before the end of the frame.
Navy pushed the lead to 9-3 with a run in their half of the sixth, but UMES came back with two in the seventh.
The Hawks loaded the bases with one out when Phil Vaughn with hit by a pitch and Michael Guy and Remo Orsini walked. Hercinger then lined a single into center field to make it a 9-5 game.
Both teams traded runs in the bottom of the seventh and top of the eighth to account for the finally tally.
Navy and UMES will complete their home-and-home series in Princess Anne, Md., at Hawks Stadium Wednesday at 3 p.m.