March 19, 2005

Box Score

March 19, 2005

DOVER, DE - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team was swept by Delaware State University on Saturday afternoon. UMES (3-15, 1-4) committed six costly errors and could not get the critical hit in two games much closer than the scores would say. DSU (6-12, 2-0) won the first game 11-2, but scored seven of those runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and then won the second game 6-4.

In the first game, UMES took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning as it put together a string of four singles to score Eric Gaines and Anthony Jackson. However, Delaware State answered quickly with three runs in the bottom half of the inning on only two hits, knocking starting pitcher Ken Richardson (0-3) out of the game.

The game remained close until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Hornets scored four runs to claim a 8-2 lead as again they scored all their runs on only two hits. DSU put the game away in the seventh with three more runs on only three hits as the Fighting Hawks defense could not seem to get a feel for the infield dirt as they committed four errors in the two innings.

With the 11-2 advantage, DSU starter Justin Bittner easily cruised to the complete game victory as he allowed two runs on seven hits. The Hornets defense didn't fair much better as they also committed four errors on the afternoon, but they were able to overcome the miscues without allowing the Fighting Hawks to have a big inning.

In game two, the Fighting Hawks again took an early lead as they scored a run in the second inning on only one hit as UMES could not take bigger advantage of three walks by DSU starting pitcher Chase Kornemann.

The Hornets again responded, as in the bottom of the fourth they plated three runs on four straight hits, capped by Randy Boyer's two-run double. UMES starter Jason Janeski survived the five straight two-out hits as Joel Maher came up throwing on a single to center and threw out Boyer at the plate. On the play Boyer attempted to dislodge the ball from catcher Morgan Schirmer and was ejected for not sliding.

The Fighting Hawks tied the game at three, but again failed to take full advantage of three straight two-out walks by Kornemann that plated both Gaines and Maher, who singled to lead off the inning.

DSU fought back in the bottom of the fifth as three singles and back-to-back errors allowed three more runs to score. UMES cut the lead to two as they scored one in the sixth on an RBI-single by Maher.

Trailing 6-4 in their final at-bat, the Fighting Hawks went in order as William Keyes recorded the save.

UMES and Delaware State will conclude the three-game MEAC series with a nine-inning game on Sunday afternoon starting at 12:00 p.m.