May 8, 2009

Final Stats

CARY, N.C.- The University of Maryland-Eastern Shore used an eight-run fifth inning to pull away from North Carolina Central University taking game one of the series 17-5 on Friday afternoon at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C.

The Hawks of Maryland Eastern-Shore scored three runs in the top of the second with two outs to take a 3-0 lead, and never looked back. UMES plated two more runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 5-0, and exploded in the fifth with eight runs including a grand-slam by Hawks designated hitter Bryan Chaikowsky.

With those runs Maryland-Eastern Shore led 13-0 after five innings. The Hawks went on to score four more in the sixth to widen the margin to 17-0.

NCCU averted the shutout in the bottom of the sixth when Robert Landis drove in Akeem Hood with an RBI groundout putting the Eagles on the board at 17-1 after six innings.

After finally getting on the board, NCCU scored the final four runs of the game to get the score to its final tally at 17-5.

Sophomore Blake Murray extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a single to left field, and junior Kurt Wilson finished the day 3-for-4 with a single, double and a triple scoring a run and one RBI on the day. Also senior centerfielder Oliver Jenkins finished the first game of the weekend going 2-for-4 with a triple, double, a run scored along with an RBI.

NCCU (5-34) looks to end its 14-game losing streak tomorrow in a "Senior Day" doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C. Robert Landis and Oliver Jenkins will be honored as current players along with Marcus Moore and Gene Suarez, members of the 2007 CIAA Regular Season Champions, the first team NCCU fielded after bringing back the sport.

The NCCU Sports Network will broadcast the twinbill starting at 12:45 p.m. with "Eagle Gameday" as the play-by-play voice, Chris Hooks, will take Eagle fans all the way to first pitch of the final two contests of the 2009 season.