SUMMARY

ABERDEEN, Md. – Despite five scoreless innings from Carter Champey and a three RBI day from Ryan Davis, the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks dropped game one of the series, 6-3, to the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils at Ripken Stadium.

THE SCORE

Central Connecticut State Blue Devils - 6

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks - 3

(Blue Devils lead the series 1-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED

On a cold, rainy day at Ripken Stadium, the NEC-leading Blue Devils began the day with a pair of runs in the first. Maryland Eastern Shore responded in the second inning. With runners on first and second, Ryan Davis scorched an RBI double down the left field line to drive in Ansel Carson and decrease the deficit to just a single run. After Central Connecticut State rattled off two runs in both the third and fourth inning to extend their lead to 6-1, the Maroon and Grey generated some offense in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ryan Howe began the inning with a lead off base hit. Next, a fielding error by the Blue Devils enabled the Hawks to get runners on first and second base. Following a walk by Jason Brown, Davis then drove a baseball deep enough to left field to allow Howe to score on a sacrifice fly, narrowing the deficit to 6-2.

Carter Champey entered the game for the Hawks in the fifth inning and began his best outing of the season. The freshman right-handed pitcher held one of the most potent offenses in the NEC to no runs from the fifth frame onward, providing UMES an opportunity to rally. The Hawks' biggest scoring threat came in the eighth inning when Maryland Eastern Shore loaded the bases with just one out in the eighth. In a similar fashion to the fourth inning, Davis drove in Howe on a sacrifice fly to get UMES within three runs. With runners on the corners and the tying run at the plate, the Hawks attempted a double steal towards second base and home. Unfortunately for the Maroon and Grey, the Blue Devils caught the Hawks stealing at home plate to retire the side in the eighth inning. That sequence ended up being the final scoring opportunity for the Hawks as the Blue Devils closed out the game for a victory, 6-3.

THE NUMBERS

The Hawks finished with three runs on five hits and no errors while the Blue Devils amassed six runs on 12 hits and two errors.

Carter Champey recorded a season-high five scoreless innings pitched. The freshman right-hander held the Blue Devils scoreless from the fifth inning until the end of the game.

The middle of the order was highly productive in this game for the Hawks. UMES' four through eight batters finished 5-for-14 with four walks. 

Ryan Howe finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate. Howe has recorded multi-hit games in five of his last seven games and is currently on a seven game hit streak. 

Ryan Davis finished 1-for-1 with an RBI double and two sacrifice flies. Davis' three RBI tied his season high.

UP NEXT

With this loss, the Hawks fall to 4-26 (3-13) through 30 games played this season. Maryland Eastern Shore will look to hand Central Connecticut State their second conference loss of the season in their doubleheader on Sunday. The first pitches for each game are scheduled for Noon and 3 p.m. at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.

FOLLOW ALONG

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