Box Score

PRINCESS ANNE, Md.  -- Rainy weather forced a late start to Wednesday's non-conference matchup between the Hawks and the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen. After an hour and a half delay, the teams battled in a pitcher's duel before Navy earned the win in ten innings by a 3-2 score. UMES now stands at 11-19 on the year.

Things got off to a great start for the Hawks. After freshman starter Scott Bean (Harveys Lake, Pa.) retired the side in order in the top of the first, UMES got a double from junior Mike Escanilla (Waldorf, Md.), followed by two walks to load the bases. Fellow junior Connor Breslin (Saylorsburg, Pa.) stepped to the plate and blasted a single past the left side of the infield to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Bean would keep Navy off the board in the second, but the Mids struck back in the third. Brad Borosak and Sean Trent both singled for an RBI each to tie the score at two.

Both teams then supplied a slew of relief pitchers that turned the game into a stalemate. Colin Brady, Sam Sorenson and Jett Meenach each went multiple innings for the visitors, keeping the Hawks at bay. The Hawks countered with six pitchers who tossed one scoreless inning apiece. Sophomore Kameron Raison (Newark, Del.) pitched the fourth while senior Michael Epps (Pottstown, Pa.) pitched the fifth. Three Cecil County products followed, beginning with junior J.P. Black (Elkton, Md.), followed by freshman Chris Melrath (Rising Sun, Md.) and Toby Hoskins (North East, Md.). Junior Devin Repine (Salisbury, Md.) staved off a rally in the ninth to keep the game deadlocked.

After UMES went down in order in the ninth and with darkness approaching, the Midshipmen were able to break thru the wall against junior Will Turley (Greensboro, Md.). Though Turley did do well to prevent a big inning after Navy got runners to first and third with no outs, Stephen Born managed a sacrifice fly to give the visitors the lead.

Seeking his sixth win of the year, Navy reliever Jett Meenach retired the Hawks in order to secure their extra inning victory.

The Hawks will now head to Norfolk for a first place showdown with the Spartans this weekend. A doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00p.m. Saturday with a single game to follow Sunday at noon.