NEWARK, Delaware – The out of conference games continue to haunt the Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team, falling by double digits for the third week in a row, this time at the University of Delaware 15-0 in Newark, Delaware.
With the loss the Hawks fall to 11-26 (10-10 MEAC) and have not won an out of conference game since early March when the team visited Radford University.
It wasn't a pretty inning for the Shore to start the bottom half of the opening frame, when two lead-off walks immediately put two Blue Hen runners on base against
Alec Greenblatt. A throwing error would score the first run, then a rocket single back to Greenblatt drove in the other free pass.
Another single up the middle gave the Hens a run, also making the first two earned against Greenblatt and hurting the freshman as he approached fifty pitches. A fielding error on a dropped catch in left drove in another run, then a fielder's choice and yet again another single made it 6-0 Hens as the inning drew to a close.
Two runs were scored by Delaware in the second with the bases loaded thanks to a walk and hit by pitch when the catcher Gabe McDermott hit a single to drive in the two lead runners. Another Hen scored in the third as Greenblatt was running out of gas off of a leadoff walk and a single.
The highlight for the Hawks came in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings when
Carter Rieben, fairly fresh off a freak oblique injury, was able to come in and shut the Blue Hens down without striking out a single batter. The sophomore faced eleven batters, allowing three hits but nothing else, including inducing a double play in the bottom of the sixth.
It was another struggle for the Hawks in the seventh inning, when the Hawks were able to get two outs but still gave up six in the inning, all unearned against
Dillon Oxyer. An error at short gave the Hens the first one, then a two-run blast added more against the Shore. A walk, a single and a triple later had the Hawks in a 15-0 hole, which would be the final score of the game.
Despite the major loss, the Shore has shown they can rebound come weekend Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Play, winning four straight Friday games since the opening MEAC play against Norfolk State – who the Hawks visit on Friday (April 22).
Follow along with the action on Twitter via @eshawksbase.
