April 24, 2008
Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. - Make-up games are never convenient, and the mid-week double header the University if Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) had to play was anything but. The Hawks took on the Spartans of Norfolk State University (NSU) in a rare mid-week series, making up two of three games that were rained out earlier this season. It was a tough spot for UMES, who came home on Monday from Florida where they played three conference games, then went to Navy on Tuesday and then had to figure out what to do for NSU. Head Coach Will Gardner was at a lost on the best way to handle it. Should the Hawks pitch their regular weekend starters who normally throw the conference series, or start some mid-week hurlers?
UMES went with the latter, saving their normal weekend rotation for this weekend when UMES has to fly back to Florida to take on Bethune-Cookman University, the top team in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, and the squad sitting atop the Black College Baseball Poll.
In game one, Hawk reliever Brian White made his first start, and was fairly productive. In a complete game outing, where he threw eight innings, White allowed eight runs, with only four earned, due to four UMES errors.
NSU got the scoring going in the second inning, picking up a solo run on a sacrifice fly. After a lead-off triple in the third, another sac fly plated Moriba George and the Spartans had a 2-0 lead.
The Hawks tied the game in the fourth. Phillip Vaughn led-off with an infield single and quickly stole second base to get into scoring position. He went home on a Remo Orsini single to center and Orsini went to second on the throw home. After a Pat Hercinger ground out that moved Orsini over, the hot hitting Jorge Pichardo stepped in and grounded out but was able to push the quick footed Orsini across.
Three hits and two errors, one by White and the other by shortstop Josh Dunham, along with a George single and two other singles, would push four runs across and give NSU the 6-2 lead, breaking the tie.
UMES answered back with a run in the sixth. Michael Guy started off the inning by reaching on an error. Vaughn would deliver a single that sent Guy to third. Vaughn then stole second to put two Hawks in scoring position with no outs. Orsini grounded out to plate Guy and Vaughn was on third. Hercinger and Pichardo would uncharacteristically both record outs without getting the run in and UMES would score no more.
NSU went on to add single runs in the eighth and ninth to make it 8-3. White took the loss for UMES, allowing 12 hits, four walks and recording three Ks. Joey Seal picked up the win, also going a complete game nine innings, allowing just five hits, three runs, two earned, one walk and punching out 10 Hawks.
UMES was hoping game two would be a different story, but it was eerily similar. NSU put up two runs in the first, one in the second and two in the third to take a commanding 5-1 lead.
The Hawks got their lone run in the second when Dunham led-off with a single up the middle. Russell Deutschmann sacrificed him over to second and a wild pitch quickly put Dunham on third. Ken Richardson would them pick up the RBI when he reached on what should have been a ground out but a miscue by the Spartan's first baseman allowed him to be safe. With one in, one on, and only one out UMES was looking to tie the game at two. But Tyler Love hit into a fielder's choice that got Richardson out at second and then Guy mirrored Love, forcing him out at second to end the inning.
Norfolk State added three runs in the fifth to account for the final margin, 8-1. Dan Sterling (0-7) worked five innings of the seven inning game. He allowed all eight runs, 12 hits, four walks, and managed just one strike out. Carl Huber worked a scoreless sixth to finish up the game.
Leon Schabaker picked up the win to improve to 5-4, allowing the one run, no walks, and six strike outs. Five different Spartans picked up two hits each and Bailey had three RBI.
UMES now heads south for the second weekend in a row to take on Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla. on April 26 and 27.
