ORANGEBURG, South Carolina — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team completed their weekend sweep of the South Carolina State University Bulldogs on Sunday (April 3) with a dominant 13-0 win.
The Hawks came into the weekend tied with Morgan State for first place in the MEAC standings. Sunday's win put Eastern Shore two games ahead in the conference standings and gave the team the most wins since 2013.
"Being in first place halfway through the (conference) season is an incredible feeling. This program has come so far to achieve so much, from not playing last year because of COVID to having just 15 players," head coach Karla Powell said. "Only three players had division I experience prior to this year, so we are young and hungry."
Sophomore Ameenah Ballenger led the squad inside the circle as she had her second complete game of the week. Ballenger struck out five batters and allowed just one hit in the contest on Sunday. That performance comes on the heels of her complete game versus Hampton on March 30.
Offensively, the first four batters of the game all reached base safely for the Hawks. The team's first run came off an error by SCSU as freshman Nola Mountain scored. Eastern Shore would then load the bases as sophomore Ryan Merriwether stepped into the batter's box. She hit a single up the middle to score her classmates Kelsie Ekstrom and Julia Garcia and the Hawks were up 3-0 in the opening frame.
One inning later, Eastern Shore scored six runs to grab a stranglehold on the game. Sophomore Tatum Kresley, Mountain and Garcia began the inning with three consecutive singles to load the bases. Ekstrom drew a walk after that to bring Kresley in to score and give the team a 4-0 advantage.
Freshman McKenzie Abiley singled to center field two batters later to score Garcia. After that Merriwether had her second two RBI hit of the game when she singled to left field and brought freshman Rebecca Miller and Ekstrom in to score. Merriwether and Abiley would score later in the inning on a wild pitch to put the Hawks up 9-0.
After a scoreless third inning, Eastern Shore got back to business in the fourth. Sophomore Ah-Nayia Oglesby singled to right field with two outs to place runners on the corners. Kresley then came up and tripled to score graduate student Kaylyn Sterling and Oglesby. That hit put the team ahead 11-0.
The final two runs of the game came in the fifth. Ekstrom doubled and advanced to third as Garcia scored for the first run. Miller would hit an RBI groundout to the shortstop after that to bring Ekstrom in to score and make the score 13-0.
Sunday saw Eastern Shore have double digit hits for the third straight game as they had 16 for the second time in three games. Merriwether went 4-4 with four RBI and a run scored to lead the team at the plate. Kresley, Mountain and Abiley each had two hits, while Garcia and Ekstrom each scored three runs.
"Our offense is getting hot at the right time. We have a competitive team 1-15 and our lineup is changing constantly because players are so hot," Powell said. "It's great to have options at any moment. We preach to the ladies to be ready at any moment because it could be your chance."
Maryland Eastern Shore will now face off with Cornell for a midweek doubleheader on Tuesday (April 5). The games will be at Hawk Field and begin at 1 p.m.
