Escanilla, Turlik guide Hawks to first win over Navy in 20 years
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – For the first time since 1995, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team defeated the Naval Academy, as the Hawks used a 15 hit attack to claim victory, 10-4, at Bishop Stadium. The win was the first for UMES in the past 20 tries against the Midshipmen. UMES’ hit total was the most in an out of conference game this year.
UMES (6-17) found itself in an early 2-0 hole after the Hawks made two errors to give Navy (16-18) the early lead. The Hawks crept back in the game with a single tally in the second on an RBI groundout by senior Jeffrey Fleetwood before Navy extended its lead with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning.
The Hawks rallied with two outs in the third with three runs. Sophomore Mike Escanilla singled and moved to third on a single by Byron Campbell. Escanilla scored on an infield pickle, before Campbell came around on a single to left by junior Greg Turlik. Fleetwood notched his second RBI the next batter after he singled home Turlik to tie the game at 4-4.
The game went idle in the third, before the Hawks erupted with three more in the fifth. Turlik and freshman Justin Dattilo each singled to start the inning and the Hawks used an RBI single by sophomore Connor Breslin to take the 5-4 lead. Junior Joshua James did the damage in the inning with a two out, two strike single to score two.
The game went quiet for the next three innings, but UMES scored its third inning with three runs with a trio in the ninth. Senior Nick Cooper doubled and was replaced by pinch-runner Chris Adams. Adams came around to score on a single by senior Stephen Bull (Millsboro, Del.). The damage was done by Escanilla, who ripped a double to score two and give the Hawks the six-run advantage.
Junior Chipper Smith took the win after he threw five innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits. The win was the first of the year for Smith. He was replaced by senior Bernard Parker, who picked up the save with one hit in four scoreless innings.
Escanilla was the top hitter on the day with a 3-for-6 effort from the plate with two RBI, one double and one run. Turlik had three hits, three runs and one RBI. Escanilla had two hits and eight Hawks hit safely altogether. James had two hits and two RBI to lead UMES.
Navy was paced by Travis Blue’s 2-for-4 performance. Kash Manzelli and Brandon Beans each had one RBI, while David Norman was 1-for-2 with one run. Michael McCormick (1-2) was saddled with the loss after he gave up three runs (all earned) in 1.2 innings.
UMES returns to action tomorrow when the Hawks host the Midshipmen at Hawk Stadium at 3 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com
Hornets come-from-behind in walk-off win over Towson
DOVER, Del. --- Aaron Nardone smacked a bases loaded single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Delaware State a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Towson at Soldier Field today. The walk-off hit completed a comeback that began after the Hornets trailed 3-0 entering the bottom of the eighth inning.
The game was scoreless until Towson broke through with a run in the top of the seventh. The Tigers scored two in the eighth inning on a two-run homer by Kurt Wertz to open up a 3-0 lead.
Delaware State responded with three runs in the last of the eighth to tie the game. Charles Dailey doubled to right center to lead off the eighth for the Hornets. Cameron Onderko followed with a single to right to score Dailey, cutting the Tigers’ lead to 3-1. Two batters later, Nardone singled to put runners at second and first.
The next batter, Mike Alexander, singled to left center to load the bases with one out. Designated hitter Ron Farley followed with a single up the middle to score Onderko from third and Nardone from second to tie the game at 3-3. The Hornets had two men on base when the inning ended.
DSU reliever Eric Sharff allowed a two-out double in the Towson ninth, but kept the Tigers off the board to give the Hornets a chance to win the game in their last at bat.
In the Delaware State ninth, Dailey again started the rally, this time with a one-out double off the fence in center field. After Onderko was intentionally walked to put men on second and first, Cecil hit a bloop single to center to load the bases. Nardone followed with a line drive hit to the gap in left center to bring home Dailey with the winning run.
It was Nardone’s second walk-off RBI of the season. He drove in Dailey with a 10th inning sacrifice fly in the Hornets 1-0 win over Bucknell on Feb. 22.
Dailey was three-for-four with two doubles, while Nardone had three hits in five at bats to lead the Hornets’ 13-hit attack. Onderko (2-for-4) and Alexander (2-for-4) had two hits each.
Sharff (3-2) allowed two hits and a run in two innings of relief to earn the win for the Hornets.
Hornet freshman starter Harry Thomas kept Towson off the board until allowing a run in the seventh. He gave up only four hits and run, while striking out a career-high six batters in 6.2 innings.
Thomas has allowed just 13 hits and three earned runs, while striking out 17 in 20 innings of work this season. He has an earned run average of 1.35 this year.
Towson’s Dominic Fratantuono doubled in the first run of the game in the seventh inning. Reliever Brandon Gonnella, who started the game in center field, was the losing pitcher for the Tigers. He allowed eight hits and all four DSU runs in 2.1 innings.
Delaware State won for the third time in four games to improve to 15-10 this season. Towson fell to 14-13.
The Hornets return to action on Wednesday evening (Apr. 9) at Maryland-Baltimore County. Game time is 6 p.m. in Baltimore, Md.
DSU will go for a two-game sweep against the Retrievers this season. The Hornets defeated UMBC 16-9 on Apr. 1 at Soldier Field.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com
Coppin State concludes road trip with loss to George Washington
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Coppin State baseball team concluded its eight-game road trip by dropping a 10-4 decision to George Washington University in a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon at Barcroft Park.
Jack Kraft and Chris Godfrey paced Coppin State’s offense with two hits each. Kraft moved his average back over .300 with his fifth multi-hit game of the season. With 29 hits, Kraft is CSU’s leading hitter with a .302 average. Godfrey reached base for the eighth straight game following his fourth multi-hit outing of the season.
Coppin State (8-18 overall) scored single runs in the first, second, sixth and eighth innings. Driving in runs for the Eagles were Colin Dower, Ryan Eigenmann and Dave Hamlett. Godfrey and Hamlett also doubled for Coppin State.
Percell gave the Eagles a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a RBI single. Hamlett’s 29th hit of the season – a two-out double -- gave Coppin State its last lead of the game, 2-1, in the top of the second inning. Hamlett, who is batting .290 overall, extended his hitting streak to five games. Hamlett is Coppin State’s leading hitter with two outs (12-for-37, .324 batting average).
John Walls and Bryant Miranda contributed hits against the Colonials to extend their base-reaching streaks. Walls have been on base in five straight games for Coppin State while Miranda got on base for the fourth straight game.
Coppin State returns to action this weekend when it hosts Delaware State in a three-game set at Joe Cannon Field. The Eagles and Hornets will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday starting at 12 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
North Carolina A&T falls to North Carolina
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina A&T’s 10-0 loss to the University of North Carolina Tuesday at Boshamer Stadium had little to do with where and who the Aggies were playing as much as it had to do with the current state of the team.
For head coach Joel Sanchez, it is tough to see his group of talented players, players who started 6-3 in MEAC play, slump collectively.
Three UNC pitchers combined to pitch a one-hitter against the Aggies (11-22). AJ. Bogucki pitched 6.1 innings of no-hit baseball until Stefan Jordan broke it up by lining a single into right-center field.
The Tar Heels (19-13) got to A&T left-handed starter DarAmani Swift early. Michael Russell led off the first inning with a single before Swift walked Wood Myers. Skye Bolt then took Swift’s 1-1 pitch up the middle for an RBI single as Russell beat Bo McMillan’s throw to the plate. Myers moved to third on the McMillan throw and scored when Tom Zengel hit an RBI sacrifice fly to right to give the Tar Heels a 2-0 lead. It was the first of four sac flies for the Tar Heels Tuesday night.
It seemed Swift had found his way after he got Landon Lassiter to fly out, but back-to-back walks to Jordan Parks and Korey Dunbar ended Swift’s night in the first. RHP Justin Godette came on to retire the final out in the first as he pitched four innings of relief.
UNC’s breakout inning came in the fifth when they scored four runs on an error and two RBI.
For complete story, visit www.ncataggies.com
FAMU snaps 20-game losing streak to Jacksonville
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M (12-19, 8-6 MEAC) used a four-run fourth inning to take down Jacksonville (10-21, 5-7 A-SUN) 6-5 on Tuesday at Moore-Kittles Field. FAMU RHP Cameron Sims (2-0) came in and provided two strong innings of relief in the win while Blake Quillin, Bennie Robinson and Marlon Gibbs combined to go 10-for-15 at the plate. The Rattler bullpen only allowed one run over the final six frames.
Florida A&M snapped a 20-game losing streak to Jacksonville dating back to February 12, 2003, a 6-2 win in Tallahassee.
JU started the scoring in the first inning on Scott Schaub’s two-run single back up the middle to give the Dolphins the early 2-0 lead.
The Rattlers answered with a run of their own in the home half of the first to make the score 2-1. Robinson scored from third with two outs as Devin Perry reached on a Dolphin fielding error. Gibbs attempted to score the tying run coming around from second on the throw, but was thrown out at the plate.
Jacksonville scored a pair of runs in the second and third innings to increase the Dolphin lead to 4-1.
FAMU took its first lead of the game, at 5-4, as they scored four runs on five hits in the fourth inning. Ryan Hutson led off the inning with a double to left, advanced to third on Kendal Weeks groundout to short before scoring on Logan Seymour’s RBI single that popped up off the third base bag. Seymour then advanced to third as Quillin smacked a single past the shortstop. Robinson followed with the Rattlers third consecutive hit of the inning to plate Seymour and cutting the JU lead to 4-3. With one out and runners on second and third, Ryan Kennedy brought home Quillin for the game-tying run with a sac fly to center. Gibbs then scored Robinson from second, on the fifth hit of the inning, to give the Rattlers their first lead of the game.
The Florida A&M offense continued with three straight hits to start the sixth inning, including two bunt singles, that loaded the bases for the Rattlers with no outs. Kennedy followed with a sac fly in foul territory, down the left line, to score Seymour in what turned out to be the final run of the game for FAMU and increased the lead to 6-4.
JU answered with their last run of the game in the seventh to cut the Florida A&M lead to 6-5 in what turned out to be the final score. The Dolphins stranded runners on the corners with two outs, but William Carrasco struckout Schaub looking at the plate to end the inning.
Jacksonville starter Will Flor (0-2) took the loss for the Dolphins after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Florida A&M continues its five-game home stand on Wednesday, April 9 against North Florida (15-17, 6-6 A-SUN) at 5:00 pm.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com
Bethune-Cookman Falls to Stetson in Rematch, 2-1
DeLAND, Fla. - It was a tight contest in Tuesday’s rematch between the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (17-18) and Stetson Hatters (14-20) at Melching Field, as the Wildcats struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities and the Hatters held on to win, 2-1
The Hatters didn’t require much offense to grab the early lead, as Stetson’s first hit of the game was a two-out Mike Fernland home run to left field in the bottom of the second.
The Wildcats put one of their own in the third, as shortstop Shaun McCarty started a solid day setting the table with a leadoff single. Josh Johnson reached on a fielder’s, choice, and McCarty came home with an error by second baseman K’Shawn Smith on the play.
Using the speed of Kyle Zech, who reached on a leadoff single up the middle in the bottom half, Stetson claimed a 2-1 advantage on Patrick Mazeika’s RBI single over shortstop into left.
After Donte Lindsay entered in relief in the eighth, striking out two batters, the Wildcats headed to the ninth with a one-run deficit. Center fielder Jake Welch reached base on an additional error by Smith, and he went on to reach third on an error by third baseman Kyle Pitts on Zach Olszewski’s fielder’s choice play with no outs.
However, Stetson reliever Tyler Warmoth settled the situation for the Hatters, securing three consecutive strikeouts to preserve the 2-1 Stetson win.
Although the Wildcats out the Hatters 4-3, and Stetson made five errors, the Wildcats left 10 men on base and were unable to capitalize.
McCarty led the Wildcats with a 2-for-3 batting performance, scoring B-CU’s lone run.
On the mound, starter John Sever (3-3) takes the loss for B-CU, pitching six innings with one earned run allowed on three hits and three walks. Schaly (2-1) earns the win with four innings pitched, while Warmoth earned his seventh save, closing the final four frames, striking out six.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
Eagles’ five-game winning streak ends at Duke
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University saw its five-game winning streak ended on Tuesday night as the Duke Blue Devils silenced the Eagle offense in the 9-1 loss on Tuesday night at Jack Coombs Field in Durham. N.C.
Duke sent out nine pitchers in Tuesday evenings contest and recorded a combined 14 strikeouts in the ballgame.
The Blue Devils made it 1-0 in the bottom of the first on Chris Marconcini’s two-out RBI single to right field, but NCCU returned the favor in the bottom-half of the frame on freshman Jared Kehagias’s single to right centerfield to knot the game up at 1-1.
Duke went on to score the next eight runs of the game, while the Eagle bats went silent. At one point in the contest, seven straight maroon and gray batters struck out.
Six different Eagles recorded at least one hit in the loss.
Junior transfer Grant Cain threw a season-long 5.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits along with three strikeouts for one of his best outings of the year.
Duke (18-16) backstop Mike Rosenfield finished the night with three RBI as the Blue Devils ended a three-game skid.
NCCU (14-18-1, 9-5 MEAC) returns to action on Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. as the Eagles welcome the Seahawks of UNC Wilmington to the Durham Athletic Park for the fifth meeting between these two programs.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com