March 14, 2007
Box Score
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The Niagara University Purple Eagles belted out 20 hits and drew seven walks on their way to a 24-8 win over the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Fighting Hawks on Wednesday afternoon at Hawks Stadium. UMES also was solid with the bats collecting 16 hits of their own but they weren't strung together like Niagara's as they hit four home runs and had nine extra base hits on the day.
Niagara jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first as they got to starter Mike Roberts. Roberts would wind up taking the loss throwing two innings and allowing five hits and nine runs, eight earned.
UMES battled back tying the game at two as Josh Dean hit a one out single through the left side. Dean stole second and scored on a Ken Richardson double to left center. Richardson then scored on a Tyler Winch single to center.
The Purple Eagles then exploded in the third for eight runs as 12 Niagara batters came to the plate and reached on four hits, two errors and three walks.
Down big the Hawk offense wouldn't quit and scored four runs of their own in the inning. Eric Gaines led-off with a walk and was followed by Joel Gonzalez who did the same. Justin Hoban, who was in the line-up as a designated hitter then hit a shot to left center, good enough for a double that plated both base runners. With two outs Richardson doubled to center, scoring Hoban. Richardson scored himself on Walls single up the middle.
The Hawks would only add two more runs in the game, one in the seventh and one in the eighth. In the seventh freshman sensation Dean led-off with a triple to right center and then scored on a Richardson ground out. In the eighth another hot hitting freshman Derrick Baker led-off with a single up the middle. Gaines singled through the left side to put Baker on third and Hoban would pick up the RBI on a ground out.
The Niagara bats were hot as they scored two in the fourth and six runs in each of the fifth and ninth innings.
UMES used five pitchers on the day with Jamar Cadejuste throwing the best allowing no hits or walks in three innings of work. He would record two of the four strikeouts on the day for the Hawks.
Niagara got two home runs from Tim Alberts, one to left and one to right as he was 3-4 on the day with five runs and four RBI. The other shots came from Frank Kurnick who was 1-5 with three runs and two RBI and Steve Baldinelli who was 1-2 with a run and three RBI on the three run shot. Second baseman Harrison Harber was 2-5 with three runs and two RBI while teammate Jason Cramer was 4-5 with two runs and two RBI. Timothy Cozier and Chris Leenderstse both had a three RBI day.
Ryan Virtue got the win despite allowing six earned runs in five innings of work. UMES posted 11 hits on Virtue and only struck out twice.
Hoban and Richardson both tallied three RBI on the day while Richardson and Dean each scored twice.
UMES now takes a week off before heading to Charleston, S.C. to battle Charleston Southern University.
