GAME 1

SUMMARY

BRIDGEPORT, Ct. - Despite a seven-run seventh inning by the Hawks, the Sacred Heart Pioneers outlasted the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks in a four hour slug fest, 19-12.

THE SCORE

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks - 12

Sacred Heart Pioneers - 19

HOW IT HAPPENED

On a sunny Saturday morning, the visiting Hawks got off to a strong start. In the first inning, Jonathan Gonzalez Perez drove in Julian Jimenez on an RBI single to get the Maroon and Grey on the board. After a pair of scoreless innings pitched by Cade Williams on the mound, Ryan Howe scorched a solo home run in the third inning to both double the Hawks lead to two runs and begin a sequence of the teams trading home runs. After a homer by Sacred Heart in the home half of the third inning, Jason Brown clobbered a baseball over the left field wall for another solo home run to expand UMES' lead in the fourth inning, 3-1. The Pioneers continued the trend of power hitting into the bottom of the fourth inning, tying the game on a two-run home run. Once again, the Hawks responded to Sacred Heart's home run with one of their own. In the fifth inning, Howe went yard for the second time for the Hawks, restoring Maryland Eastern Shore's advantage, 4-3.

Sacred Heart hit their stride on offense in the fifth and sixth inning, while the Hawks went ice cold at the plate in those same innings. The Pioneers amassed five runs in the fifth inning and eight runs in the sixth inning to take a commanding lead, 16-4, into the seventh frame.

Despite the deficit, the Hawks showed no quit. Maryland Eastern Shore began their rally in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI bases-loaded walk by Jonathan Gonzalez Perez. With the bases loaded, Christian Azcona drove in both Ryan Howe and Diego Aponte on a two-RBI single to right center field. Later on, with Joshua Caldwell on third base, Jason Brown drove in his teammate on a sacrifice fly to left field. The inning all culminated with a dynamic play by Elijah Negron. The freshman shortstop cranked a three-run blast for not only his first home run of the season but also to bring the Hawks within five runs of tying up the game, 16-11.

Although the Hawks would tack on one more run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Ryan Davis, Sacred Heart, aided by a few insurance runs, got the final six outs they needed to clinch a win, 19-12, in a slug fest that spanned just under four hours.

THE NUMBERS

The Hawks recorded 12 runs on 15 hits and two errors while the Pioneers recorded 19 runs on 15 hits and one error.

Julian Jimenez, Diego Aponte, Ryan Howe, Jason Brown, and Ryan Davis each recorded multi hit games for the Hawks.

Jason Brown recorded a season-high three hits, including his first home run of the season.

Ryan Howe finished 2-for-5 at the plate with a pair of home runs. This marks the first multi home run game of his career.

Elijah Negron finished 1-for-3 at the plate with a team-high three RBI. Negron recorded his first home run of his collegiate career.

GAME 2

SUMMARY
Despite a solid start by Brandon Gomez on the mound, the Sacred Heart Pioneers plated two runs in the eighth to edge out the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks, 6-5.

THE SCORE

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks - 5

Sacred Heart Pioneers - 6

HOW IT HAPPENED

Compared to game one, the pitching on both sides had much better control of the game for the first seven innings of the matchup. In the third inning, Michael Blackiston scored a run on a fielding error by Sacred Heart's shortstop. The Pioneers responded with a three-run homer in the third inning and a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to take a three-run advantage, 4-1. Other than those scoring plays, each team struggled to sustain offense for the first seven innings.

Both the Hawks and Pioneers got five or more innings from their starters with eight strikeouts a piece. Senior right-handed pitcher Brandon Gomez got the start for the Hawks on the mound, and provided his best outing of the year with 5.2 innings of work. Carter Champey followed up Gomez in relief and pitched a scoreless seventh inning, presenting an excellent opportunity for Maryland Eastern Shore to rally.

Just like the first game, the Hawks were able to take advantage of the Pioneer bullpen. With two runners on the base paths in the top of the eighth inning, Diego Aponte drove a two-RBI double to left center field to bring both Julian Jimenez and Quentin Smith in to score, narrowing the deficit to just a single run. In the following plate appearance, Ryan Howe tied the game with an RBI single up the middle to score Aponte. After Howe advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, Christian Azcona capitalized off Sacred Heart's mistake with a go-ahead RBI single, granting the Hawks their first lead since the third inning. 

Unfortunately for the visiting Hawks, the Pioneers rallied to tack on two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take back the lead. Even though Maryland Eastern Shore went on to have the tying run in scoring position in the ninth with just one out, Sacred Heart's closing pitcher was able to clinch the game with a ground out, icing a close win over the Hawks, 6-5.

THE NUMBERS

The Hawks finished with five runs on 10 hits and one error while the Pioneers recorded six runs on eight hits and one error.

Brandon Gomez recorded a season-high 5.2 innings pitched with a career-high eight strikeouts.

Elijah Negron, Diego Aponte, and Julian Jimenez each recorded multi-hit games for the Hawks.

UP NEXT

With these losses, the Hawks slide to 5-40 (4-23) on the season. Maryland Eastern Shore will look to get back on track against Mount St. Mary's. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

FOLLOW ALONG

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