The Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks split the Friday doubleheader with Norfolk State at Hawk Stadium.
GAME 1
SUMMARY
A six-inning start by Esteban Torres and a three-RBI day by Champion Shipley helped lead the Hawks to a 9-3 victory in the series opener.
THE SCORE
Norfolk State Spartans (16-25, 12-13) - 3
Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (8-31, 7-18) - 9
(UMES leads series 1-0)
HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
After Norfolk State scored a run in the top of the first, the Hawks responded with a four-run first frame. Joshua Caldwell and Bronson Taylor each recorded sacrifice flies before Shipley sliced a two-run single to put UMES ahead, 4-1.
After two scoreless innings from Torres on the mound, the Spartans tallied a pair of runs in the fourth to draw within one run.Â
In the bottom of the fifth, Taylor recorded another sacrifice fly to double UMES' lead.
Leading 5-3, the Hawks, highlighted by an RBI double from Ansel Carson, RBI singles from Darrius Brown and Henry Clausell, and a sacrifice fly from Shipley, cemented the win with a four-run seventh inning. Clausell then earned the save, pitching three scoreless relief innings to clinch the 9-3 win.
THE NUMBERS
The Hawks finished with nine runs on seven hits and no errors while the Spartans record three runs on 10 hits and an error
Torres struck out four batters across a career-high six innings of work, earning his second pitching win of the season
Clausell recorded his first collegiate save, spinning three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Clausell also paced the Hawk offense with a team-high two hits.
Shipley finished 1-for-1 at the plate with a team-high three RBI
WHAT WAS SAID
GAME 2
SUMMARY
The Norfolk State Spartans defeated the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks, 15-8, to take game two of the doubleheader at Hawk Stadium.
THE SCORE
Norfolk State Spartans (17-25, 13-13) - 15
Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (8-32, 7-19) - 8
(Series tied 1-1)
HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
After three scoreless innings by Richard De Jesus, the Spartans took advantage of two errors by UMES to plate seven runs in the top of the fourth. Norfolk State added three more runs in the fifth to take a double-digit lead.
UMES, spurred on by RBI base hits from Jonathan Rodriguez, Julian Jimenez, and Ansel Carson and an RBI groundout from Diego Aponte, answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Leading 10-4, the Spartans drove in four runs in the seventh to balloon their lead to 10 runs.
UMES went on to add four unanswered runs behind Rodriguez scoring on a catcher's interference and Carson, Caldwell, and Aponte driving in runners on ground balls.
Despite the rally, the Spartans finished off the Hawks in the ninth, adding one final insurance run en route to a 15-8 win.
THE NUMBERS
The Hawks finished with eight runs on six hits and four errors while the Spartans tabbed 15 runs on 14 hits and an error
Jimenez paced the Hawks, recording a team-high two hits and three walks and reaching base in all five of his plate appearance
Aponte and Carson each tallied a team-high two RBI.
UMES' pitching staff struck out 10 batters
UP NEXT
UMES closes their six-game homestand with the series finale against Norfolk State at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 3. The game will be streamed on YouTube, and live stats will be available at 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).
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