SALISBURY, Maryland – After outscoring Norfolk State University 28-15 through the first three games of the weekend series, the Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team was unable to muster enough runs to take in the finale, falling 6-2 on Sunday (March 20).
 
Starter Derrick Rabb, Jr. was solid through five innings of work but it wasn't enough as the Hawks (3-13, 2-2 MEAC) offense struggled as a whole and saw little production from the bottom of the lineup against the Spartans (5-12, 2-2 MEAC).
 
"We played pretty solid baseball, but we didn't swing it today," head coach Brian Hollamon said. "Their guy threw the ball pretty well and we didn't swing the bats particularly well."
 
The Hawks were able to manufacture a run and take advantage of a catching mistake by the Spartans in the bottom of the first. Dillon Oxyer had a one out single and advanced to second following another by Bryan Widdowson, Ryan Howe then moved Oxyer to third and then the bases were loaded when Brantley Cutler walked with two down. The first run of the game was scored when a wild pitch was thrown and heads up base running advanced all the runners, scoring Oxyer.
 
It was a pitchers duel heading into the fifth inning until Rabb took a ball to the back on an errant warm-up throw, slowing the graduate student down after rolling through the game with six swinging strikeouts. Rabb would allow his only run of the game on a sac fly in the inning.
 
"I thought Derrick did a nice job," Hollamon said. "Unfortunately, he got hit in the back in the fifth inning. I just knew were the tides were at that point."
 
Rabb was replaced by freshman Carter Rieben (0-1) in the next frame and loaded the bases with a double and two walks, recording a strikeout in the inning as well. Although Rieben was able to get a second out on a pop-up bunt, a 1-1 pitch thrown to Norfolk shortstop Raphy Rodriguez squeezed just inside the right field foul pole for a grand slam.
 
In the bottom of the frame the Hawks were able to snag another run to make it 5-2 when Cutler doubled in Howe from second base. That would be the only other run scored by the Shore though, as just a walk and hit were all they could get in the seventh and eighth until the bottom of the ninth when the bases were loaded until a groundout ended the game.
 
"We had our chances," Hollamon said. "We had some opportunities and we didn't capitalize – we didn't get that one big hit."
 
Despite the loss the Hawks got a huge boost in confidence following the series, matching up toe-to-toe with the reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions. After not playing in 2021 the Hawks were picked last in preseason conference standings but now sit squarely in the middle of the four-team conference at 2-2.
 
"I think our team is capable of playing with anybody," Hollamon said. "We were picked to be last and I understand that – we didn't play last year, we don't have anything to really stand on but I think (after) this weekend Norfolk State knows we're not going away and I think other teams are going to find that out as well."
 
It's back to work on Wednesday (March 23) against the United States Naval Academy as the Midshipmen make a weekday visit for the start of a home-and-home between the squads, the game is slated for 3 p.m. at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury. The Mids currently sit at 8-11 on the season and Navy holds the all-time series 28-3 with the Shore last winning in 2015.
 
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