WAPPINGERS FALLS, New York – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team is on a search to shock the Northeast Conference as it heads to Heritage Financial Park to kick off the NEC Tournament against Fairleigh Dickinson University on Wednesday, May 24.
 
It was a tight regular season series for the squads, with the Knights taking game one and two in extras, then the Hawks holding on for a 5-4 win during the getaway game.
 
Hopeful Hawks
 
The Hawks had a wild end to the regular season, needing some luck in other games around the conference and to come out with wins against visiting Delaware State. By the grace of having the head-to-head-to-head record with Coppin State and Merrimack as things fell into place, the Hawks were able to punch their ticket to New York.
 
Overall, for the regular season, the Hawks eclipsed last season's win total at 18 and have the most wins since 1995 when the program went 25-28. Earning the tournament bid makes UMES the last Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference affiliate member standing on the season.
 
At the plate the Hawks have been led all season by right fielder Brantley Cutler, pacing the offense in nearly every offensive category. Cutler earned First Team All-NEC honors, as well as the Black College Nines Postseason All Elite team. He enters the game with a 27-game on-base streak.
 
Alex McCoy has been one of the main supporting members of the Hawk offense, making the transition from first to third base this past week. He leads the team with 22 stolen bases and is tied with Cutler with 35 runs scored.
 
Flashing the glove as a freshman and now becoming a threat at the plate, Luke Myers is second on the team in OBP at .383 and has delivered 11 sacrifice flies.
 
On the mound against FDU, starter Noah Covington is expected to get the Hawks through game one of the tournament. The senior had a 5.12 ERA over 95 innings pitched during the regular season, allowing just .85 walks allowed per nine innings, which was second in the country. His 7.44 strikeout to walk ratio is seventh in the nation.
 
If the game is close in the later innings, expect the combination of Nick Gatton and Caden Parker to come in and shut things down, they are 1-2 in pitching appearances conference wide. Parker was named Second Team All-NEC thanks to his nine saves, a school record since 1992, and 3.37 ERA while averaging just over a strikeout per inning.
 
Knight Knowledge
 
FDU enters the game as the third overall seed in the conference and went 30-19-1 (20-10 NEC) under first year head coach Manny Roman, the best record in school history.
 
The Knights are led on offense by corner infielders Luke Cantwell, who earned First Team All-Conference at first, and Hunter D'Amato, who was First Team All-Conference at third base. D'Amato holds a .401 batting average, good for 27^th in the nation. Cantwell is 33^rd in the nation with a .734 slugging percentage.
 
Tom Ruscitti was also a First Team member for the Knights, grabbing the honors in the outfield after hitting 11 home runs with a 1.045 OPS. Out of the designated hitter spot, Brian Sanders earned Second Team All-Conference.
 
As a team, the Knights were one of the top offenses in the conference, finishing first in home runs and stolen bases during the season. The .413 OBP also topped the NEC.
 
A starter has yet to be announced for the Knights, but ace Rich Racobaldo is well rested, not pitching since May 13 against Merrimack. He was named a First Team selection for the conference. Jude Baxt and Ethan Rembish are options to start as well.
 
In the pen, Brendan Medoro has been the top man with 18 total appearances, just one being an abbreviated start. He's averaging just under a strikeout per inning.
 
How to Follow
 
First pitch of the tournament is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 24 from Heritage Financial Park in Wappingers Falls, New York, home of the Hudson Valley Renegades.
 
The tournament will be streamed live in its entirety on both NEC Front Row and ESPN3, with links available, as well as Live Stats, on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletic Department website. Updates will also be provided on Twitter via @ESHawksBase.