April 25, 2015 Box Score | Photo Gallery 
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. Â -- Hawk fans that were in attendance Saturday afternoon had plenty of reasons to celebrate. In a weekend where the Hawks essentially need to sweep in order to challenge the vaunted Norfolk State Spartans for first place in the MEAC Northern Division, the team rose to the occasion, sweeping the Spartans by scores of 2-1 and 1-0.
Sophomore Jesse Stinnett (Madison Heights, Va.) paced the Hawks with a complete game, one-run performance in the first game, and junior Tanner Whiteman (Cazenovia, N.Y.) threw his second one-hitter against Norfolk State in the nightcap, and senior Greg Turlik (Gaithersburg, Md.) capped off Senior Day with a walk-off RBI to complete the sweep.
Furthermore, the Turlik walk-off gives the Hawks their 13th MEAC victory, the most in the history of the program. The Hawks also achieved their 15th overall win, most for the program since the 2006 campaign.
Norfolk State did strike first in the opening game. With one out in the second, first baseman Ryan Kilmon roped a line drive over the left field wall for a solo shot to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead. After that, however, Stinnett settled in nicely, giving up just three base hits while striking out five the rest of the way.
The Hawks would strike back in the fourth. Freshman Isaiah Chambers (Forestville, Md.) got a base hit bunt and would score on a Turlik RBI single to tie the game. Turlik would steal a base before scoring on a double by junior Connor Breslin (Saylorsburg, Pa.) for the go-ahead run.
The Spartans would threaten in the ninth before victory could be sealed. Kilmon doubled to lead off the inning, and the next batter popped up on a bunt attempt. A pinch-hitter then was set down on a strikeout, and the final batter grounded out to end the ballgame.
Game two, a seven inning affair per MEAC rules, quickly turned into a hotly contested pitcher's duel between Whiteman and Devin Hemmerich. Thru five innings of play, both pitchers carried no-hitters as they stymied one batter after another. In the third, Norfolk State got what would be their best chance as second baseman Syeed Madhi reached third base on a walk, but the Hawks induced a flyout to get out of the inning. In the sixth, Denathan Dukes reached on the first single of the game and would advance to second, but he too was stranded.
Sophomore Justin Dattilo (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was able to crack the Hemmerich code with two outs in the seventh with a triple to the gap in left-center, becoming just the second baserunner for UMES. That would set up the game winning play, as Turlik lasered a ground ball that went passed the Spartan second baseman, landing in the right field grass and allowing the Hawks a crucial sweep.
A win for the Hawks on Sunday would give the team a series sweep and leave the team just one game back of the division leading Spartans with three games to play. Game time is scheduled for 3:00p.m. at Hawk Stadium.
