SALISBURY, Maryland – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team was unable to pick up its first win of the season during either game of Hawks doubleheader against Quinnipiac on Friday, February 24.
 
The Hawks fell in game one 5-1 and then held a late lead only to see it squandered away to an 8-6 loss, dropping the Hawks to 0-6 on the season.
 
Game One
 
Noah Covington took the rock in game one, holding the Bobcats scoreless through four innings of work, racking up three strikeouts in that time – he finished with six over seven innings to no walks.
 
In the bottom of the fourth the Hawks were able to snag a run following a leadoff double by Riley Horner, an Alex McCoy single and a Brantley Cutler walk. Dillon Oxyer made contact with a grounder to second, driving in Horner to put the Hawks up by a run.
 
Quinnipiac quickly struck back with two runs of their own when Covington brushed a batter and the Bobcats knocked a single to tie it up in the fifth. They doubled it up just two batters later with a sac bunt for a 2-1 game in favor of the visitors.
 
Once again in the sixth, the Bobcats were able to snag another two following a leadoff double and home run to make it a 4-1 ball game. An insurance run was grabbed by Quinnipiac in the top of the ninth after an error and a ground out.
 
Just two batters reached for the Hawks after their only run of the game, going a combined four-for-30 in the game.
 
Game Two
 
The offense played much more inspired in the second game of the afternoon, a potent bottom third inning after starter Nick Gatton was tagged for a two-run homer at the top. Doyle McNew got it started on a double to right and then was driven in on a sacrifice bunt by Anders Brown who reached on an error.
 
The Hawks kept it going when Ryan Howe singled up the middle to drive in Brown and to put two on the bases for Cutler. Rearing back, Cutler smacked his first home run of the year, putting the Hawks up 5-2 on their guests.
 
The Bobcats responded in the top of the fifth with three runs, stringing along two hits and a walk for one, on a sacrifice bunt error for the next and a fielder's choice for the third – tying the game up.
 
A run was gained back for the Hawks by showing patience at the plate, drawing four straight walks for an easy run. Unfortunately for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, it would be the last of the afternoon as Quinnipiac scattered three more runs over the sixth, eighth and ninth.
 
Quinnipiac tied the game up in the sixth following an error and a sacrifice fly, on a double and single in the seventh, and then the final insurance run by the first batter of the ninth.
 
The pitching staff of Gatton, then relievers Blake Rebstock, Porter Braddy and Caden Parker combined for 13 strikeouts to four walks.
 
Next Up
 
The Hawks wrap up the first homestand of the season against Quinnipiac on Saturday, February 25, first pitch is set for 11:00 a.m.
 
Follow the action on Twitter via @ESHawksBase.