Box Score
UMES vs. NCCU MEAC Tournament Box Score
NORFOLK, VA. – With North Carolina Central University ahead 5-2 in the top of the sixth inning, University of Maryland Eastern Shore unleashed a six-run frame that put the Eagles behind the eight-ball as the Hawks went on to the 13-5 win in opening round action of the 2012 MEAC Baseball Championship at Marty Miller Field in Norfolk, Va.
The loss for NCCU moves the Eagles into the loser’s bracket of the tournament and will face the loser of the Delaware State/ Savannah State contest 30 minutes after the NC A&T/Coppin State matchup tonight.
UMES struck the first blow with a two out rally in the top of the first inning following a Tre-Von Johnson double to left field. Johnson later scored on Brandon Schott’s single to centerfield to put the Hawks up 1-0.
After Dylan Drayton (Raleigh, N.C.) led off the bottom of the first inning with a bunt single, the Eagles loaded the bases with one and knotted the game up at 1-1 on a walk to sophomore Carter Williamson (Roanoke, Va.) to give the backstop 43 RBI on the year.
In the top of the second a leadoff double by the Hawk first baseman Jeffrey Fleetwood was squelched as NCCU starter Glenn Frye (Lillington, N.C.) picked Fleetwood off and retired the next two batters.
NCCU earned its first lead of the day at 2-1 in the bottom of the second on a RBI single by sophomore Tyson Simpson (Burgaw, N.C.) driving in freshman Tyler Murphy (Islip, N.Y.) who began the frame with a single to get the Eagles rolling.
Frye was cruising right along retiring six straight batters before the Hawks started a rally including Zach Townsend’s fourth hit of the year, which tied the game up at 2-2 in the fourth inning.
After a scoreless top of the fifth, NCCU made its best move of the day as first team All-MEAC member Luis Diaz (Geneva, N.Y.) reached on an error by Shaquille Bagwell. After UMES hurler Jacob Foreman walked the bases loaded and the Eagles scored three runs in the frame off an RBI groundout by Michael Romano (Spotsylvania, Va.) and a RBI sacrifice fly by Murphy to take a 5-2 lead.
The Hawks immediately responded with back-to-back hits by Johnson and an RBI double by James Newsome cutting the deficit to two at 5-3. After Frye struck out Schott, Fleetwood struck out swinging but reached first on a passed ball placing runners at first and third with one out. UMES shortstop Joshua James reached bases when Frye’s attempt to start a double play went wide. The Hawks went on to score six runs and take an 8-5 lead over NCCU, chasing Frye from the game as the No. 3 seed from the Northern Division scored six runs on six hits on two Eagle errors.
The Eagle offense went to sleep as the UMES pitching staff struck out five of the final 15 batters as the maroon and gray only put one runner in scoring position over the final four innings.
The Hawks added two runs in the eighth and a run in the ninth to put NCCU away and advance in the winner’s bracket taking the game 13-5.
Frye (4-6) took the loss for the Eagles, despite record a season-high nine strikeouts, becoming the first player in the modern era of NCCU baseball to record over 150 career strikeouts. The junior right now has 151 on the year.
UMES’s Jacob Foreman (4-6) earned the win going five-and-one-third of an inning and allowing only five hits in his outing.
The Hawks ripped the Eagles for 16 hits and had five players record two or more hits led by Schott’s 4-for-5 effort with two RBI and a run scored. First team All-MEAC performer Johnson went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Byron Campbell led UMES with three RBI while going 2-for-5 with a double.
Five different student-athletes for NCCU recorded one hit, as Drayton has now reached base in 18 straight ballgames.
Both teams combined for eight errors in the game as the Eagles left 10 runners stranded in the loss.
Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by flying over to
www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of NCCU Athletics.
