SUMMARY
The Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks fell to the Manhattan Jaspers 15-5 in their home opener at newly renovated Hawk Stadium.
THE SCORE
Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (0-7) - 5
Manhattan (4-4) - 15
(Jaspers lead series 1-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning by starting pitcher Jonah Stepner, Jonathan Gonzalez Perez drove in Diego Aponte on an RBI single for the first run of the game. Manhattan answered in the top of the second, scoring six runs on a pair of home runs and an RBI single to pull ahead 6-1. The Hawks then tacked on another run on a bases-loaded double play in the home-half of the second frame before the Jaspers ballooned their lead to six runs on a sacrifice fly and a bases loaded walk.
Trailing 8-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Hawks tallied their most productive frame of the afternoon. With Ansel Carson and Julian Jimenez on base, Gonzalez Perez laced a two-RBI double to left field to cut the deficit. Christian Azcona then drove in Gonzalez Perez with an RBI single to center field to get UMES within three runs, 8-5.
The Jaspers flipped momentum back in their favor in the sixth inning, beginning a stretch of five total home runs across the sixth, seventh, and eighth frames. UMES was not able to overcome the power hitting of Manhattan en route to a 15-5 loss.
THE NUMBERS
UMES recorded five runs on nine hits and one error while Manhattan tallied 15 runs and 13 hits and no errors.
Gonzalez Perez went 3-for-4 with three RBI. The senior catcher paced the Hawks in hits and RBI and drove in the first run at newly renovated Hawk Stadium
Aponte went 1-for-4 with a run scored. The senior from Bayamon, Puerto Rico recorded the first hit at newly renovated Hawk Stadium
Darrius Brown finished 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
Elijah Benton struck out two batters en route to facing the minimum in his relief appearance.
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY
The Hawks celebrated their first game at newly renovated Hawk Stadium with a ribbon cutting. Provost Rondall Allen and Deputy Athletic Director Lisa Varytimidis-Cannon were on site to deliver an opening address and throw the first pitches of the game.
UP NEXT
The Hawks conclude their series against Manhattan with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 1. 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).
