Feb. 28, 2010

Agate

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Sophomore left-hander John DesChamps (Virginia Beach, Va.) pitched 4.2 perfect innings in Game 2 of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's home-opening doubleheader Sunday, but Rider topped the Hawks, 2-0, at Hawks Stadium. The Broncs (2-0) swept the twinbill, taking Game 1, 8-0.

DesChamps carried a no-hitter into the seventh and final inning of the second game with it tied, 0-0. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound hurler induced a flyout to center field for the first out of the frame but a fielding error by UMES first baseman Lucas Koenig (Berlin, Md.) put John Ralston on base. DesChamps then committed an error of his own as Koenig was unable to handle a pickoff attempt and pinch runner Garret Rugg advanced all the way to third.

Matt McCollum followed with an RBI double to center to score Rugg and stole third, crossing the plate as Nick Wojnowski singled up the middle.

Tyler Smith came on in the bottom of the inning to secure the save with two strikeouts.

DesChamps (0-2) was the hard-luck loser, throwing a complete game, and surrendering the two hits, two runs and two walks with five strikeouts.

Mike Thomas (1-0), who himself had a perfect game through three innings, picked up his first win of year, allowing four hits and two walks over six innings.

UMES got singles from J.J. Corriveau (Hollywood, Fla.) in the fourth and sixth and Luis Mena (Cape Coral, Fla.) and Koenig in the fifth for the Hawks' only hits.

In the first game of the day, Rider jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first with the benefit of just one hit. With the bases loaded and no one out, Steve Galella tapped a fielder's choice to Corriveau at shortstop, who went to second for an out but A.J. Albee scored from third.

McCollum then singled to short, scoring Ian Lindsay and Ralston reached on a Corriveau error which brought home Galella.

Junior Matt Witte (Westminster, Md.) got out the inning averting more damage with a groundball double play.

The Broncs made it 4-0 in the fourth. With one out and one on, Karl Johnston put a base hit through the left side and Johnston and Eric Woodrow moved to second and third, respectively, on a Witte Wild pitch. An Albee groundout to second scored Woodrow.

Rider added two more in the sixth on consecutive RBI doubles with none out as Woodrow and Johnston came through for a six-run margin.

A McCollum triple and Ralston Sacrifice fly rounded out the scoring. Ryan Miller (1-0) won the game for the Broncs, pitching six innings of two-hit baseball. He walked two and struck out four, using 80 pitches. Witte (0-2) took the loss for the Hawks (0-6) allowing six runs - four earned - on six hits. He issued seven walks and struck out four in 110 pitches.

Rider outhit UMES, 10-3, in the first game with the Hawks' hits coming from Donnie Haines (Carneys Point, N.J.), Tre-Von Johnson (East New Market, Md.) and Nick Wiggins (Littleton, Colo.).

McCollum led Rider at the play on the day, hitting 4-for-7 with two doubles, a triple, two runs scored and three RBIs.

The teams close the series with another doubleheader Monday starting at noon.