SUMMARY

LEXINGTON, VA. – The Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks dropped both legs of the doubleheader to the VMI Keydets at Gray-Minor Stadium.

GAME 1

THE SCORE

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (0-5) - 3

VMI Keydets (6-1) - 7

(Keydets lead series 2-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED

In the top of the first inning, UMES nabbed their first lead of the game on a sacrifice fly from Jonathan Gonzalez Perez. The Keydets then answered with a solo home run in the home half of the first inning to tie the game. 

UMES starting pitcher Richard De Jesus limited VMI in the following two innings before the Keydets took their first lead of the game on a sacrifice fly. In the top of the fifth, Julian Jimenez drove an RBI single up the middle to even the score, 2-2. Although the Keydets later took the lead back on a fifth inning home run, Diego Aponte drove in Ansel Carson on a ground out to tie the score again in the top of the seventh inning.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, VMI built an insurmountable lead with a four-run bottom of the seventh inning. UMES did not score the rest of the game en route to dropping game one of the doubleheader, 7-3.

THE NUMBERS

UMES recorded three runs on seven hits and no errors while VMI finished with seven runs on five hits and no errors. For the second consecutive game, the Hawks outhit the Keydets

De Jesus pitched five innings in his start, striking out three batters and yielding three earned runs across 90 pitches

Jimenez finished 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a walk. This is his season high for hits

Carson scored all three runs of the game for the Hawks, finishing 1-for-3 with two walks at the plate

GAME 2

THE SCORE

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (0-6) - 4

VMI Keydets (7-1) - 14

(Keydets win series 3-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Keydets outscored the Hawks 9-0 in the opening inning to take a commanding lead. Maryland Eastern Shore then responded in the top of the second inning with three consecutive RBI hits. Christian Azcona doubled through the right side, Jonathan Rodriguez poked a single through the left side, and Diego Guerrero recorded his first collegiate hit to score three consecutive runs.

Leading 9-3, VMI expanded the lead with a four-run second inning and a one-run third inning. Trailing 14-3, UMES tallied one final run on a Jonathan Gonzalez Perez solo home run in the fifth before the game closed on back-to-back scoreless frames for both teams.

THE NUMBERS

The Hawks recorded 4 runs on nine hits and one error while the Keydets scored 14 runs on 11 hits and no errors

Guerrero went 2-for-3 at the plate and joined his teammates Amari Hackett and Kedrick Alicea as freshman Hawks that recorded an RBI in their first collegiate hit

Gonzalez Perez hit his team-leading third home run of the season

Diego Aponte extended his hitting streak to 13 games dating back to last year

Azcona and Rodriguez each finished 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI

Shane Stanley pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen

Cade Williams pitched a team-high three strikeouts in three innings out of the bullpen

UP NEXT

The Hawks return to Princess Anne for their home opener against Manhattan at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 27. The game will be streamed on YouTube and live stats will be available on umeshawksports.com.

FOLLOW ALONG

Keep up with the latest from UMES baseball on UMESHawkSports.com and by following along on X (@UMESHawkBase) and Instagram (@umeshawkbase).