Box Score April 10, 2016 Box Score (Game 1) l Box Score (Game 2)
HANOVER, Maryland -- In both games Sunday the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks held a lead over the Coppin State Eagles. And both times the Eagles would come back, on the way to 3-1 and 16-4 wins and a doubleheader sweep over the HHaasertrHawks at Joe Cannon Stadium.
The losses drop Maryland Eastern Shore to 8-21 overall and 3-7 in the MEAC. Coppin State improves to 7-21 with a 5-5 conference mark.
"Disappointing day at the ballpark." Hawks coach John O'Neil said after the game. "Got to give Coppin a lot of credit--they did what they had to do to get the sweep."
Senior Mike Escanilla (Waldorf, Maryland) went 3-for-8 today on the offense. Junior Justin Somerville (New Windsor, Maryland), sophomore Jamison Trower (Chesterfield, Virginia) and freshman Zach Mills (Parksley, Virginia) all collected RBI's for the Hawks.
On the mound, sophomore Chris Melrath (North East, Maryland) was effective in the opening game, going 6 1/3 innings and giving up three runs while striking out three. Freshman Tom Summers (West Decatur, Pennsylvania) pitched scoreless relief after Melrath was finished.
Sophomore Scott Bean (Harvey's Lake, Pennsylvania) was in line for the win after giving up three runs thru the first four innings in game two, but was handed a no-decision instead. The Hawks bullpen struggled in the nightcap, surrendering 12 runs (eight earned) after Bean exited.
Jack Kraft was valuable for the Eagles, going 5-for-7 with two home runs and seven runs driven in. He also earned the save in game one. Coppin starters Krystian Negron and Aaron Rea combined for 15 innings of work with just five runs surrendered. Both starters got the win.
The Hawks would strike first in the opener when Trower scored on a throwing error. But the Eagles would come back to tie in the sixth with a Kraft round tripper, then go on to score two more in the seventh to take the win.
Coppin State would grab a 3-0 lead early in the nightcap but the Hawks would make their move in the fifth inning. Jamison Trower doubled to score senior Connor Breslin (Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania) and Mills would drive home Summers to cut the deficit to one. Trower then scored on a wild pitch with his brother Grayson Trower (Chesterfield, Virginia) bating to tie. Grayson would single and score on Somerville's fielder's choice to take the lead.
But as soon as the Hawks grabbed the lead, the Eagles came right back when a batter reached on an error and Kraft delivered his second home run of the day. Coppin would go on to score six in the fifth inning and seven more in the sixth to seal the sweep.
Both teams will meet again in a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 11:00 in the morning.