DOVER, Delaware – Home runs were the difference maker for the Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team as the Hawks (8-21, 7-7 MEAC) split a doubleheader with Delaware State University (10-14, 7-7 MEAC) 6-3 and 0-2 on Saturday (April 9) afternoon in Dover, Delaware.
In the first game
Ryan Howe and
Brian Cordell both went yard, while in game two Krew Bouldin launched one for the only two runs of the game.
Game One
The Hawks got things going early when
Andrew Revels started the game with a leadoff walk and
Dillon Oxyer quickly got on base with a single to put runners on. Knocking his third long ball of the season, Howe launched a shot over the left field wall to quickly make it 3-0 in favor of the Shore.
In the second inning Cordell had a walk to start the inning and promptly stole second base before reaching third on a
Nick Roets fly out. Continuing his hot week after hitting a home run against Georgetown University on Tuesday (April 5),
Jason Brown had his second career RBI with a single through the left side to score Cordell and make it 4-0 Hawks.
Delaware State got a run back when Alan Alonso had a homer to left center to cut the Hawks lead to three.
Cordell got in on the home run action in the top of the sixth with a solo shot to right field, his first of the season – he reached base successfully in all of his plate appearances on the day with two hits and a walk.
Not going quietly, the Hornets were able to grab two runs in the bottom of the sixth by stringing together three hits to the outfield against starter
Noah Covington. A leadoff single, followed by a double to put runners in scoring position was capitalized when Bouldin had a single to left to make it a 5-3 ballgame.
In the top of the seventh Oxyer led the inning off with a bunt but found himself on third following to ground ball outs against reliever Mike Carrington. With two outs, Carrington went wild and threw a pitch out of catcher Robert Trujillo's reach, putting Oxyer across to make it 6-3.
Going the full distance, Covington was able to close out the seventh inning by only facing three batters – hitting one but also inducing a game inning double play. With the seven innings pitched, Covington now has four complete games to his record, extending his NCAA Division One lead.
Game Two
Cameron Bratton was able to turn in his best start of the season but fell short of the victory when the Hawks offense was unable to get anything going against the Hornets. The senior went six innings with five strikeouts for his first complete game of the season.
The game was a pitcher's duel between Bratton and Delaware State starter Jordan Haddaway with the pair allowing just a combined nine hits and three walks, with Bratton striking out five.
Everything came down to the bottom of the sixth for the Hornets, when Trey Paige was able to get a one-out single and then was driven in by Bouldin's fourth home run of the year to make it 2-0.
In the top of the seventh the Hawks had their best chance of the game when
Bryan Widdowson led off with a single to chase Haddaway out of the game, then his relief CJ Loper hit Cordell and
Brantley Cutler with pitches to load the bases. It wasn't meant to be though, Roets pinch hit for
Luke Myers but went down swinging to end the game.
Shore on Sunday
The Hawks get a chance to win their first series of the season with another pair of games on Sunday (April 10) afternoon. Playing again at the Hornet's home of Bob Reed Field starting at 1 p.m., hopeful to break the curse of splitting Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference series. Currently Coppin State sits atop the conference at 8-6 following a split with Norfolk State today, the pair have another doubleheader set to start at noon.
Follow the action on Twitter via @eshawksbase.
