UMES uses 8-7 win over Navy to sweep season series
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Senior Stephen Bull was 5-for-5 to post a career-high in hits as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team posted an 8-7 victory over the Naval Academy on Wednesday afternoon.
The win was the second consecutive for UMES over Navy as the Hawks swept the season series with the Midshipmen. The Hawks defeated Navy yesterday for the first time in nearly 20 years.
UMES (6-17) opened the scoring when junior Greg Turlik registered a sacrifice fly to score sophomore Mike Escanilla, who reached on an error to start the inning. The Hawks extended their lead to five in the second when Bull singled home a pair, before senior Byron Campbell tripled home two more the following at-bat.
Following another scoreless inning thrown by sophomore Will Turley, UMES used a sacrifice fly by junior Joshua James to up their advantage to 6-0. Navy got on the scoreboard with three unearned runs in the sixth, but UMES countered the Midshipmen push with another in the bottom of the inning.
The Hawks took their 7-3 lead into the sixth as the two teams went quiet over the next two innings. A solo shot by Navy's Kash Manzelli in the seventh brought the game to within three.
The Hawks looked to add to their tally later that inning but Andrew Bartek fanned two with the bases loaded to keep UMES at bay.
The Hawks were led in game by Bull's five hits, but the senior also had two RBI and one run. He was one of three Hawks to post multi-hit games as Campbell and freshman Justin Dattilo were each 2-for-4.Campbell ripped his first triple of the year and three Hawks had two RBI.
Turley (1-3) fired seven innings of eight-hit ball, while junior Devin Repine threw two innings to notch his second save of the year.
Manzelli led the Mids with two hits, including a homer. Robert Currie was 2-for-3 with one run, while Travis Blue and Manzelli each had two RBI. The Mids had four players register two hits on the day and made two errors overall. Brian Wickoff (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing five earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.
UMES returns to action this weekend when the Hawks stay at home to host Norfolk State in a three-game series. The men will open the series with a doubleheader on Saturday with the first pitch set for 1 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman Late-Game Rally Falls Short in 4-3 Loss at Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Although Bethune-Cookman (17-19) jumped out to the early lead, the Jacksonville Dolphins (11-21) responded in kind and contained B-CU until late in the game, holding off a late push to hold the Wildcats in a 4-3 game on Wednesday night at Sessions Stadium.
The Wildcats showed early aggressive play to take an early lead, as shortstop Shaun McCarty reached on an infield bloop single in the third. Center fielder Eros Modena brought him in on and RBI single up the middle to give B-CU a 1-0 advantage.
The Dolphins fired back with home runs beyond the expansive 340-foot left field wall in both the bottom of the third and fourth for Cameron Gibson and Dylan Dillard, respectively, to take the 2-1 lead.
Facing reliever Michael Thomasson, the Dolphins opened the sixth inning with a walk and a single for Gibson and Connor Marabell, both scoring in the frame to push the Dolphins out to a 4-3 lead.
Using multiple pitchers, the Dolphins kept the Wildcat off the board and without a hit for four frames. However, in the eighth, facing JU’s Nathan Disch in relief, the Wildcats took three consecutive walks to load the bases. Subbing in first as a pinch hitter, then at third base, Austin Garcia fired a line drive over shortstop to bring in Eric Sams and Josh Johnson to narrow the deficit to one run.
Ryan Quintero took the mound for the Dolphins in the ninth and shut down the B-CU order, preserving the 4-3 win and earning a save. Starter Zach Gordon (2-5) picked up the win for JU, pitching four innings. For the Wildcats, starter Riley O’Brien (0-2) takes the loss, pitching five innings with two earned runs and three strikeouts.
The Wildcats return to action in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) action this weekend in Durham, N.C., taking on a crucial three-game rematch at North Carolina Central. The Eagles hold a half-game lead on the Wildcats in the MEAC Southern Division standings.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
Florida A&M blanks North Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M (13-19, 8-6 MEAC) recorded its first shutout of the season to defeat North Florida (15-18, 6-6 A-SUN) 2-0 on Wednesday at Moore-Kittles Field. The shutout was the first for the Rattlers since March 19, 2009 (270 games), a 10-0 win over Albany State. Bennie Robinson scored both runs for FAMU including a solo home run while going 2-for-4.Starting catcher Jeremy Barlow also went 3-for-4 to help pace the Rattler offense.
The Rattlers scored all they needed with a run in the home half of the first inning. Robinson roped a one-out double into left center and came around to score following a pair of Osprey wild pitches to make the score 1-0.
Florida A&M increased its lead to the final margin of 2-0 as Robinson led off the third inning with a solo home run over the fence in right, his fifth of the season.
FAMU’s bullpen was stellar for the second consecutive game as they only allowed three Osprey hits over the final 4.2 innings. Brandon Fleming pitched 2.2 innings, only giving up two hits, and Blake Quillin earned his first save of the season while working the final two innings with three strikeouts.
North Florida loaded the bases in the fourth as Trent Higginbothem, Alex Bacon and Patrick Ervin recorded three consecutive one out singles for the Ospreys. Florida A&M starter Matthew Schaeffer then pitched Alex Merritt into an inning-ending double play to keep UNF off the board.
The Ospreys tried to get things going again in the fifth inning after a double and single put runners on the corners with one out. Fleming would then come in on the mound for the Rattlers, in relief of Schaeffer, and retired the side as North Florida again failed to score.
Fleming pitched out of another bases loaded jam in the seventh for the Rattlers. With no outs, UNF’s Kyle Brooks lined into a double play at third as Ryan Kennedy was able to also tag the bag for the second out of the inning. Corbin Olmstead ended the scoring chance for the Ospreys, grounding into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
North Florida starter Bryan Baker (1-3) took the loss for the Ospreys.
Florida A&M returns to MEAC play this weekend as the Rattlers host Savannah State (12-21, 3-9 MEAC), for a three game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 12 at 1:00 pm.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com
Cardwell’s single lifts Norfolk State past William & Mary
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Ross Cardwell hit the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the seventh inning, and the Norfolk State bullpen held the potent William & Mary offense scoreless over the last three innings as the Spartans notched a 3-2 win over the Tribe on Wednesday night at Plumeri Park.
The Spartans (10-18) never trailed, yet had to hold off several late scoring opportunities by the Tribe (20-12). The game wasn’t in hand until freshman left hander Devin Hemmerich got Tribe designated hitter Charley Gould to ground into a double play for the final two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
NSU got on the board quickly with three straight one-out hits in the top of the first. Andre’ Moore had the first, a single up the middle with one out. He advanced to second on Cardwell’s single through the right side. Moore scored from second on Zach Markel’s single to center field.
The Tribe tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Ryder Miconi led off with a double off Spartan reliever Cooper Jones. Miconi later scored on Kevin Nutter’s groundout.
The Spartans answered that tally with a run of their own in the top of the fifth. Cody Ellis walked to lead off the frame, advanced to second on a wild pitch by Daniel Powers and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tyon Ore. Ellis then scored on another wild pitch by W&M reliever John Yoest (0-1).
W&M knotted the game at 2-all on Ryan Hissey’s solo homer off Jones to lead off the bottom of the sixth, but NSU regained the lead in the top of the seventh. Ellis reached on the third W&M error of the game to start the inning. He moved to third on another sacrifice by Ore and Justin Lee’s groundout. After Yoest walked Moore, Cardwell delivered a clutch two-out single to left to give the Spartans a 3-2 advantage.
Junior right hander Josh Vales pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh for NSU, but had to work around a walk and a hit batter by coaxing a pair of flyouts to end the threat.
Hemmerich relieved Vales in the bottom of the eighth. After retiring the first two batters, he walked Miconi and hit pinch hitter Devin White with a pitch. Hemmerich ended the threat by getting Nutter to fly out to center.
Hemmerich also skirted trouble in the bottom of the ninth. He hit Ryan Lindemuth to start the inning, and after a fielder’s choice accounted for the first out of the inning, W&M clean-up hitter Michael Katz singled to third base to put two runners on with one out. Hemmerich then got Gould to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game and break NSU’s four-game losing streak to the Tribe.
Stephen Butt (2-2) earned the win with a scoreless inning of work out of the bullpen. He relieved Jones after Hissey’s game-tying homer in the sixth and allowed just one hit before escaping further damage. Hemmerich earned his third save of the year with two scoreless innings of work, including one strikeout.
Cardwell was 2-for-4 for NSU. Ellis went 1-for-3 with two runs scored. He reached base three times.
Yoest took the loss, allowing one unearned run in 2.2 innings pitched.
W&M managed just six hits off NSU’s five pitchers, with Miconi (3-for-3) and Hissey (2-for-4) accounting for all but one of those. The first five hitters in the W&M lineup combined to go just 1-for-16 for the Tribe, who entered the week ranked second in Division I in batting average (.336) and third in runs per game (9.4).
The Spartans jump back into MEAC play with a three-game series at Maryland Eastern Shore this Saturday and Sunday.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Hornets downed by Retrievers
BALTIMORE, Md. --- Maryland-Baltimore County scored 11 unanswered runs en route to a 17-5 win over Delaware State at Alumni Field this evening.
The Retrievers (7-18) avenged a 16-9 loss to the Hornets at DSU last week.
The three-hour-30 minute contest featured 25 hits, 11 errors and 14 walks. The teams combined to use 12 pitchers, including eight by the Hornets. Eight of UMBC’s 17 runs were unearned.
Delaware State (15-11) opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Cameron Onderko singled to lead off the game, and later scored on a throwing error after a hit by Cameron Cecil. The next two batters, Aaron Nardone and Mike Alexander, also singled to load the bases with none out.
UMBC starter Shane Vlasic retired the next three Hornets in order, two by strikeout, to get out of the jam without any further damage.
The Retrievers scored four unearned runs after two were out in the second inning off Delaware State starter KT Thomas to pull ahead.
The Hornets got a run back in the third to pull to within 4-2. Cecil led off the inning with a double. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Ron Farley.
UMBC scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to open up a 6-2 lead.
Delaware State pulled closer with two runs in the fifth. Alexander started the rally with a one-out single. Farley followed with a base hit, advancing Alexander to third. Alexander scored on a throwing error by UMBC catcher Manny Colon on Farley’s steal of second. Farley moved on to third base on the error; and scored on a one-out double by Eddie Sorondo to cut the Retrievers’ lead to 6-4.
The Hornets added a run in the sixth to pull to within one. Onderko was hit by a pitch with one out. He advanced to second and third on UMBC errors and crossed the plate on a single by Alexander to cut the deficit to 6-5. Later in the inning, DSU had the bases loaded with two outs but failed to tack on any more runs.
UMBC got some breathing room with three runs on just one hit in the bottom of the sixth to open up a 9-5 lead. The Retrievers took advantage of five walks, two passed balls and wild pitch by the Hornets in the inning.
Delaware State committed two errors and walked three more batters in UMBC’s eight-run seventh inning. Hunter Dolshun had a two-run double in the inning to give the Retrievers a 16-5 lead.
Dolshun and Jake Barnes had two hits and three RBI each to lead UMBC’s 13-hit attack.
Alexander was four-for-five with a run batted in for the Hornets. He is nine-for-13 (.692) with a homer, double and three RBI in the last three games to raise his average to a team-high .444 this season.
Onderko, Cecil and Farley collected two hit each. Cecil is seven-for-13 (.538) with six RBI and four runs scored in the last three contests.
The Hornets return to MEAC action with a three-game series at Coppin State this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. The series concludes with a single game on Sunday starting at 1.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com
Eagles blanked by Seahawks
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University found itself down early to the Seahawks of UNCW and never recovered despite the numerous opportunities missed in the 9-0 loss as the Eagles were shutout for the first time all season, and limited to just three hits on Wednesday night at the Durham Athletic Park.
After a scoreless first inning in which each squad left a runner on third base, UNCW’s Joe Bertone’s second double of the year plated the first two runs of the day for the Seahawks giving them the 2-0.
NCCU seemed to have returned the favor in the bottom-half of the frame on sophomore Kory Wood’s hard grounder to left field, but Tyler Murphy was gunned at home on a tremendous throw by leftfielder Robbie Thorburn keep the maroon and gray off-the-board.
The Seahawks added two runs in both the second and third inning, while the Eagle offense sputtered. In fact, NCCU went five at-bats without a hit from the third inning until the eighth.
UNCW (16-16, 2-3 CAA) rolled to the 9-0 win to send the Eagles to their first shutout since April 23, 2013 on the road at Campbell when the Camels blanked the maroon and gray 10-0.
Despite the loss, NCCU (14-19-1, 9-5 MEAC) left nine runners on base, but struck out a combined 10 times in the contest.
The three hits for the Eagles ties a season-low set on Feb. 22 against Niagara. Wood, Jacobi Harris and Carter Williamson all recorded at least one hit on the night.
The maroon and gray will have a quick turnaround as the Eagles will play for sole possession of first place in the MEAC’s Southern Division beginning at Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 p.m. at the Durham Athletic Park for doubleheader action as the perennial power Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman make the trek to the Bull City.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com