March 12, 2006

Box Score

Princess Anne, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Hawk Baseball squad dropped a 11-7 decision to the United States Naval Academy. Navy swept the Hawks in the three game series.

The Hawks bats came around today as they touched up Navy starter Tim Hammond for nine hits and five runs. They totaled 12 hits on the day.

Dustin Longchamps started and pitched well for the Hawks, throwing seven innings and allowing eight runs, with just four of them earned. He walked two, struck out two with 108 pitches. Unfortunately his incredible effort earns him the loss on the day.

Navy's Spencer Suarez picked up the win in relief while Ryan Heffner earned the save.

UMES jumped out to an early lead. After Longchamps sat down the first three Navy batter with two fly outs and a strike out, Eric Gaines led-off with a double to left center. He scored when Joel Maher jumped all over a pitch and tripled to right center. Maher would score on a Greg Cathell ground-out. Justin Hoban would also collect a hit in the inning.

The Hawks added a run in the second when Brad Powell, who hit a two out double to left, scored on an error by Navy's Shortstop. The error was forced by Gaines who reached on a fielder's choice on the play. They attempted to get the force out at second on Mike DiCarlo who walked after Powell.

Navy tied the game up in the third inning when B.J. Bickel led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Dominic Lopez followed with a walk and Bickle scored on a single to right from catcher Jonathan Johnston. Johnston would later steal second and advance on a throwing error by catcher Mike DiCarlo. That error also plated Lopez. Johnston scored on a Jared Munde single to right.

The game was tied at three.

Navy was at it again in the fourth, plating three more runs on four hits and one Hawk error. Ryan McGinn, who walked, D.J. Faldowski who doubled and Bickel who reached on a bunt single, all crossed the plate.

UMES got back on the board in the fifth inning. Gaines led-off by reaching on an error by Navy's third baseman. He went to second on a Cathell single to left. Hoban would then single to right and plate Gaines and mover Cathell to second. Bernie Stratchko would dig in and record his second hit of the game with a single to center that scored Cathell.

Navy led 6-5 after five innings.

Several Hawk miscues in the seventh inning allowed Navy to add to their lead. With one out a wild pitch for strike three allowed Navy's Renaldo Hollins to reach. That was followed by a Johnston single to right that put Hollins on third. Johnston took off for second stealing the base but a throwing error by the catcher allowed him to go to third and Hollins to score. Johnston kept running and a bobble by centerfielder Joel Maher allowed him to score. Navy took the 8-5 lead.

The Mids added two more runs in the eight as Thomas Hamilton led off the inning with a single and was followed by McGinn's double to left center that played Hamilton. McGinn scored on a single by Bickle. Navy had now doubled up the Hawks 10-5. This is the first time Navy had scored ten or more runs in three straight games since 2000.

UMES wasn't done. In the eighth inning they took advantage of Navy errors. Ronald Quick took two bases on a throwing error by the third baseman Hamilton. He went to third on a ground-out by Stratchko and then scored when Pete Mayta grounded to the shortstop. Mayta would get the RBI and a bonus and the first baseman dropped the ball. With two outs Morgan Schirmer pinch hit and hit he did. Schirmer doubled to left center and plated Mayta.

Navy went to the bullpen. Joe Koessler came in and faced Gaines. He singled to a deep shortstop to move Schirmer to third. Maher stepped in and ran the count full but a low strike was called and the inning ended with the Hawks down, 10-7.

The Midshipmen added a run in the ninth when Munde singled and stole second and was then scored by a Hamilton single.

UMES would threaten in the ninth when Brandon Records, pinch hitting, would single to shortstop. Two other Hawks would reach base but Navy's Hefner would close the door.

On the day Gaines, Hoban and Stratchko would each collect a pair of hits. Six different Hawks would also have an RBI.

UMES next takes on Delaware State in their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) match-up on March 18-19, 2006 in a three game series. Those games will be played at Hawks Stadium in Princess Anne, MD.