PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – It's another Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference filled weekend for the Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team, welcoming the Delaware State University Hornets to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium for a four-game set starting on Friday (March 25). The Hawks (3-14) enter the series with a 2-2 record in the conference after splitting the past weekend with Norfolk State University, the Hornets (4-8) sitting at 1-3 after their series with Coppin State University.
 
The Shore most recently lost of Navy in a back-and-forth battle, falling 7-5 to the Mids in a game tied 5-5 heading into the ninth inning.
 
Hornets Hazards
 
The Hornets enter the series tested against out of conference opponents Charleston Southern University, Lehigh University and common opponent the University of Delaware, in addition to their series against Coppin. Del State was able to grab two from Lehigh, one of the top fielding teams in the nation, and had a high scoring affair with the Blue Hens, where 17-runs were scored between the squads in the first inning. Against Coppin the Hornets sole win in a doubleheader saw starter Jordan Haddaway go 6.2 innings, giving up four earned runs before Peter Carrea came in for the final out.
 
At the plate three Hornets hold OPS over 1.000 –preseason All-MEAC third baseman Trey Paige, Alan Alonso, a transfer from Division II powerhouse Mt. Olive, and third-year sophomore outfielder Krew Bouldin. Paige began the season with a ten-game hitting streak before being shut down against Coppin in the second half of the doubleheader and on Sunday (March 20), although he did have an RBI sacrifice fly in the DH – he has three home runs on the season. Alonso has a hit in all but one game this season, and Bouldin has been almost equally on fire with just two games without a hit.
 
On the mound the Hornets hold a team 6.68 ERA and have struck out 65 batters while walking 65, they have given up 17 homers through 12 games so far. Only one starter has an ERA under 3.00 in Dylan Swensen, although the sophomore has only thrown 3.2 innings and was most recently rocked by Delaware in the first inning, giving up seven runs, none earned, over .2 innings pitched. Ethan Edelson has been the most used reliever and holds a 4.05 ERA over 13.1 innings, he has given up the second most home runs for the Hornets though with four, two behind preseason All-MEAC starter Haddaway.
 
Small Ball Shore
 
In contrast to the big bats of Delaware State, the Hawks take pride in running small ball games to keep scores close and take advantage of their speed. Upperclassmen Ryan Howe, Brantley Cutler and Dillon Oxyer lead the way for the Shore, the only three regulars with a batting average over .250 with Howe leading the way hitting at a .308 clip. Cutler has been on a tear as of late, entering the game on a three-game hitting streak with five RBIs, two doubles and a home run in that span. Bryan Widdowson has also been a force at the plate since returning from injurt
 
A pair of freshmen, Luke Myers and Kyle Cincinnati keep on hitting for the Hawks when they take the field. Myers, on top of playing some of the best second base the Shore has ever seen, is slashing .375/.500/.438 over five games started and eight appearances and Cincinnati hitting .316/.462/.368 over seven games started and ten appearances.
 
Hawks Hurlers
 
Noah Covington and Evan Nibblett have been leading the Shores regular starters, the Seaford natives both picking up wins against Norfolk State this past weekend. Covington leads the starters with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, while Nibblett has only gone one start with less than five innings pitched. Derrick Rabb Jr. was on his way to his first quality start of the season last Sunday before an errant throw during fifth inning warm ups hit him in the back, causing him to be relieved in the sixth – he had six swinging strike outs in the start.
 
Coming from the pen, John Killmon has been nothing but phenomenal in his five appearances. The senior from Virginia has yet to allow a run this season and holds a .043 batting average against with beautiful movement on his off-speed pitches, he has eight strike outs to three walks in seven innings pitched.
 
Hawks Hornets History
 
The Shore holds a 29-61 record against the Hornets since 2016, most recently beating the Route 13 rivals in 2019 at Soldier Field in Dover, it will be the first time the teams have met since that three-game series.
 
Pitching coach Shawn Phillips was a member of the Hornets from 2002-2004, when he was drafted by the Texas Rangers and is a member of the Delaware Baseball Hall of Fame.
 
Follow this weekend's action via Twitter @eshawksbase.