ANNAPOLIS, Maryland – An early outburst of offense by Navy wasn't enough to sink the University of Maryland Eastern Shore for the first time since 2015, with the Hawks gutting out a hard fought 9-7 twelve-inning victory over the Midshipmen on Wednesday, April 26.
 
The win moves the Hawks to 13-26 (9-9 NEC) and the four out-of-conference wins this season are the most since 2019. Before the game the Hawks were 5-35 against the Midshipmen all time, marking one of the biggest victories in recent history.
 
"We played good tonight, it showed a lot for us, for me, for our team," interim head coach Shawn Phillips said. "I was proud of the way those guys competed and we beat a good team tonight, it just shows what type of group we have here, so I was very pleased."
 
Navy staked an early three run lead on starter Raymond Smith Jr., grabbing two walks to start the game and scoring the first on a balk. A triple and a single would put two more across for the Midshipmen before a flyout and fielder's choice ended the inning.
 
Smith responded in excellent fashion following that first inning, locking down the Navy offense over his next three innings of work in his first collegiate start.
 
The Hawks would battle back over the next few innings, able to tie it up by the top of the fifth.
 
Brian Cordell grabbed a one-out single in the top of the third, then was driven in by Dillon Oxyer's 33^rd career double for the first Hawk run. A two-out walk by Kyle Cincinnati and a single by Luke Myers put runners on the corners in the fourth, leading to a Derrick Mayes II sacrifice bunt, cutting Navy's lead to just one.
 
"Top of the lineup, he gets on base, gets our power and the middle of our lineup to drive some guys in," Phillips said of Cordell.
 
Two outs with a Cordell on second would lead to the Hawks tying it up 3-3 in the fifth thanks to an Alex McCoy single up the gut.
 
"He's been putting good swings on the ball," Phillips said of McCoy. "When he's going the offense is going to go and tonight, he had a good night."
 
The Midshipmen were quick to respond against reliever Andrew Jackson, taking over for Smith in the bottom of the fifth, despite the freshman getting two quick outs to start his duties. A double put a Navy runner in scoring position and a single drove him in to put the Hawks down by one run.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Navy extended its lead by a run on a solo shot to left, and a single with a runner on second, putting the home squad up 3-6. An additional unearned run was notched in the next inning following a Hawk error.
 
There was nothing but fight from the Hawks in the top of the eighth, putting together two quick runs following a leadoff walk to Cordell and a hit by pitch on McCoy, leading to a two-run double by Ryan Howe. Cincinnati would ground out in his at bat, but a balk the pitch before had Howe on third and another run for the Hawks.
 
Continuing with the assault, the Hawks tied the game at 7-7 when the bases were loaded off a Marcus Brown pinch hit single and Cordell continued his hot streak, singling to score Myers.
 
A scare happened for the Hawks in the bottom of the eighth as Porter Braddy worked into his second inning. The Midshipmen reached on an error to start their at bats and would eventually load the bases, only for Braddy to come up with an inning ending strikeout to preserve the tie.
 
Fireman Nick Gatton would come in to relieve Porter Braddy and gave one of his best appearances of the season – giving three scoreless and striking out two to keep the game locked into extra innings.
 
"A gutty performance from him, pitching three innings of shutout ball when we needed it," Phillips said. "He kept us in the game, kept us in extra innings, enough for our offense to score those runs in the 12^th inning."
 
As the game passed the three-hour mark and into the 12^th inning, the Hawks offense found its groove with a leadoff triple by Cutler. McCoy tacked on his second RBI by scoring Cutler, then was driven in on an insurance run single by Myers.
 
Working for his eighth save, Caden Parker had Hawk faithful on edge in the bottom of the frame, allowing a walk and a single to put a pair of Navy runners on. With just one pitch, Parker forced a flyout to left field, sealing the deal for UMES.
 
"I didn't know if I was going to go to him, then we got the lead and he was running down to the bullpen," Phillips said. "He got the first guy on, got two out, made it interesting – he buckled down, made a good pitch, he's pitching really well right now."
 
Gatton picked up his second win of the season, with Parker extending his single season save record to eight in his appearance.
 
At the plate, it was a heavy lifting day for the top of the order as Cordell, Cutler, McCoy and Oxyer contributed towards seven of the Hawks thirteen hits against the Midshipmen. McCoy and Howe each had two RBIs and Cordell caused some havoc on the basepaths with two stolen bases.
 
Following a five-game stretch against non-conference opponents, the Hawks are back against Northeast Conference opposition starting on Friday (April 28) against Norfolk State University for a three-game series at the Spartans. It's a vital series for the Hawks, sitting at sixth in the conference – the last spot for a NEC Tournament appearance – and could effectively put away the Spartans season as they sit in 11^th.
 
Follow the action on Twitter via @ESHawksBase.