Feb. 28, 2009
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PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Junior right-hander Cameron Zimmerman (Harrisburg, Pa.) threw a complete game, three-hitter in game two of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's doubleheader with Niagara to help the Hawks earn their first win of the season, 2-1 and a split Saturday at Hawks Stadium.
Zimmerman (1-1) tossed seven innings and gave up just one earned run while striking out five and walking five for his first collegiate win.
Josh Dunham (Des Moines, Iowa), Pat Hercinger (Papillion, Neb.) and Russel Deutschmann (Baden, Ontario) each had hits for UMES in game two. Elliott Alston (Littleton, Colo.) and Ben Vasko (San Diego, Calif.) had knocks in game one.
UMES (1-5) dropped the first game, 2-0, to the Purple Eagles, who improved to 1-4 on the season with the split.
"I thought they were two well-played games," said UMES head coach Will Gardner. "I told the guys that when we were out in the huddle that both those games could've gone either way. They were great ballgames to watch."
Zimmerman walked the bases loaded in the first, but pitched his way out of trouble when he caught Jason Allinder looking to end the threat.
Niagara got on the board first, though, in the third. Designated hitter Trevor Rutkowski lifted a fly ball to right field, scoring Matt Wietlispach from third.
UMES evened the game in the fourth. Josh Dunham started the inning with a walk. Hercinger followed, poking a single through the left side, to put runners on first and second with no outs.
A Jorge Pichardo (La Vega, Dominican Republic) fielder's choice moved Dunham to third and an errant throw by Niagara pitcher Michael Kellar knotted things.
Zimmerman found himself in a jam once more in the fifth when Wietlispach walked and stole second with two outs. Catcher Graham Skelhorne-Gross then worked a full count before drawing another a walk. Zimmerman hung tough and got Jason Cramer to look at strike three.
The Hawks got the go-ahead run in their half of the fifth when Deutschmann scored on a passed ball which spelled the end of the day for Kellar. Deutschmann doubled to left-center field to begin the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Michael Guy (Lake Ariel, Pa.).
An error by Alston in the seventh put pressure on Zimmerman, but he averted any damage for the win.
Adam Wagner took the loss for the Purple Eagles.
"It was good for the returners to be able to get over this hump a littler bit rather than us being the same old UMES from last year," said Gardner. "I think we've played some good quality ball early in the year, but this team is so much different than any of the two teams I've had up to this point just because they carry themselves a little better, I think they feel more comfortable with each other.
"Once they start getting into a rhythm I really feel like they're going to carry it and they'll be able to ride a wave a little bit. It is nice to get a win early in the year so that they don't get so tight and worried about getting that win."
Freshman righty Karim Gonzalez (Mexico City, Mexico) rebounded from a rocky first outing against Rider last Saturday, but still absorbed the loss in game one. Gonzalez went 4.2 innings and surrendered just two runs and fanned five.
Both Niagara's runs came in the second inning. After the Purple Eagles loaded the bases, Brian Deering coaxed a run-scoring walk and Jeff Szalkowski got a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Cramer.
That was all NU needed in support of starter Marcus Spaulding (1-0), who pitched seven strong innings allowing two hits, a walk and striking out nine.
Matt Witte (Westminster, Md.) came in relief of Gonzalez pitched 2.1 hitless innings and struck out two.
The teams close their four-game series with another doubleheader starting at noon.
