Florida A&M used a nine-run fourth inning, along with three Maryland Eastern Shore errors to defeat the Hawks12-2, here Thursday evening at Jackie Robinson Park in opening round games of the 2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament.

 

FAMU (23-27) belted out 14 hits, led by both Darryl Evans and Stavone Martin, who finished with three hits each.

 

UMES (14-41) finished with six hits with six players finishing with one hit each.

 

First Team All-MEAC selection Tim Schalch (4-2) picked up the win for the Rattlers, by going the distance, allowing six hits, one earned run and striking out four in nine innings of work.

 

Karim Gonzalez took the loss for the Hawks, giving up five hits, six earned runs and striking out one in three and one-third innings of work.

 

UMES grabbed the early lead in the top of the second as Ben Vasko scored on a Elliott Alston single up the middle, making the score 1-0 in favor of the Hawks.

 

Bryan Chaikowsky increased the Hawks’ lead to 2-0 in the top of the third as he doubled to left field, scoring Vasko.

 

 

FAMU would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth as they turned five hits and three UMES errors into nine runs, to take the 9-2 advantage.  A Tobi Adeyemi single up the middle allowed Derrick Shaw to score, followed by a steal to home by Martin.  Adeyemi scored on a Hawks’ errors then a Jared Jeffries single to left field helped Gabriel Rodriguez cross the plate.  Both Jeffries and Schalch scored on a Steve Cunningham two-run single, while Cunningham elevated the score on an Evans double to left field.

 

The Rattlers would then pick up a run in the sixth and two runs in the seventh for the 12-2 final.

 

FAMU returns to action tomorrow when they will take on #5 North Carolina A&T at 2 p.m., in a winner’s bracket match up, while Maryland Eastern Shore will face the winner of the Delaware State vs. Norfolk State in an elimination game.  

 

In the early game, Bethune-Cookman defeated Norfolk State, 12-3, while North Carolina A&T defeated Delaware State, 6-4 in 11 innings in the middle game.  

 

Admission for the 2009 MEAC Baseball Championship is $8 for adults and $4 for children ages four and older, students and senior citizens. Ticket prices for the entire tournament are $20 for adults and $10 for children ages four and older, students and senior citizens.  Children ages three (3) and under are admitted free. Tickets are available at the Jackie Robinson Ballpark, 105 E Orange Ave, Daytona Beach, Florida beginning on May 14.

 

For more information on MEAC Baseball, logo on to www.meacsports.com.