EAST GREENSBORO, North Carolina - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team dropped two games on the road to North Carolina A&T on Saturday, February 18 in the first action for the Hawks (0-2, 0-0 NEC) this season.
 
Falling in game one 5-8 and game two 5-10, it's back to work quickly as the Aggies (2-0, 0-0 CAA) will host UMES for the getaway game on Sunday at 12 p.m. in East Greensboro.
 
Game One
 
The Hawks started out a bit cold in the season opener, with shortstop Riley Horner reaching in the first before being picked off and the Aggies picking up a quick run on starter Noah Covington.
 
It was a much stronger second inning for UMES, with the middle of the lineup grabbing two runs – one from a Brantley Cutler double down the left line to drive in Alex McCoy and another by Brian Cordell driving in Luke Myers from second. The Aggies responded quickly in the bottom of the frame, with a two run double to take the lead.
 
The third and fourth innings were a struggle at the plate for the Hawks, sending six up only to come away without a hit or walk. NC A&T also failed to get a runner on in the third but grabbed another two runs on a shot dead center that made it a 6-3 game in favor of the home side.
 
Needing a spark, the Hawks manufactured a run in the fifth following a leadoff walk by Myers who reached third when Derrick Mayes II put down a sacrifice and Cordell grounded out to second. With his second hit of the game, Horner smacked a single through the right side to chip away.
 
While the run got the Hawks within two, the Aggies took no time in the bottom of the frame to stretch their lead with a two run homer that ended Covington's day.
 
Another run was scored by the Hawks when Horner touched home on a double play after an error and wild pitch in the eighth, but that would be it for the Hawk offense for the day as nothing got going in in the ninth.
 
Hawk relievers Andrew Jackson, Raymond Smith, Joe Kelly and Charles Bernard each had solid outings during their first time on the field for UMES, giving up no runs over four innings and seeing just four over the minimum.
 
Game Two
 
Bats were fairly silent for the Hawks in game two, scattering runs in the third, seventh and ninth but were unable to overcome a huge five run inning in the second and another five total in the sixth and seventh.
 
Nick Gatton took the rock for his first start as a Hawk, having a clean first inning with two strikeouts only to see the Aggies tag him for five hits and a hit by pitch that fueled the early rally.
 
Control issues from NC A&T starter Daniel Carter and solid base running grabbed two runs for the Hawks in the third. Myers led off a walk, followed by Bryan Widdowson and Cordell being hit by pitches. A wild pitch on a swinging strikeout put Myers across the plate, then just pitches later Mayes, who replaced Cordell, also saw a wild pitch that scored Widdowson from third.
 
Gatton ran into trouble with runners on second and third when the Aggies hit a triple and a single to plate both runners to go up 8-2 on the Hawks, effectively ending his day for reliever Gary Hallmen Jr. to pitch.
 
Still trying to fight back the Hawks worked the bases loaded in the in the top of the seventh, then Dillon Oxyer hit into a double play but scored Widdowson from third.
 
Not letting up the lead, the Aggies grabbed two more in the bottom of the eighth to stretch the game to 10-3 in their favor.
 
Resilient as well, the Hawks had another leadoff walk from Myers and then Mayes blasted the first home run of his UMES career in the ninth to cut the NC A&T lead in half. Working the bases loaded with just one out, UMES looked ready for the comeback just for two strikeouts to end the attempt.
 
Getaway Sunday
 
UMES wraps up its North Carolina trip on Sunday, February 19 against the Aggies starting at noon. A Live Stream is available on FloBaseball, while Live Stats are also available with a link on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore website. Follow the action on Twitter via @ESHawksBase.