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March 22, 2008
BALTIMORE, Md. - Twenty games later the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) finally got in the win column. After numerous one and two run games against schools from the Big East, Atlantic-10, and teams ranked in national polls, the Fighting Hawks picked up their first win of the season with an 11-7 topping of Coppin State University (CSU). More importantly, they picked up their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) win of the season and now stand (1-20, 1-0 MEAC). The Hawks jumped out a 1-0 lead on Coppin State (2-21, 0-1 MEAC) in the first inning when Remo Orsini hit a one out single up the middle. After another out Orsini stole second and Ryan Coppi would collect the RBI as he doubled to left center. A much improved Eagle team tied the game in the third inning with a run of their own as Sean Yampierre scored on a Harry Williams sacrifice fly. Yampierre's run was unearned on starter Ken Richardson as he reached on an error to start the inning. The Hawks seemed to take command in the fifth inning as the posted a four spot on the scoreboard. Josh Dunham reached with one out when he was hit by a pitch. Phillip Vaughn would reach on a bunt single that put Dunham on second. Orsini tried to sacrifice them over but he did one better beating it out for a hit and loading the bases. UMES RBI leader Pat Hercinger would then pick up another run batted in with a sacrifice fly that was caught in foul territory of right field but was deep enough to plate Dunham and advance Vaughn and Orsini. Then Coppi stepped in. He homered to left, good enough for three RBI, a 5-1 lead and the first dinger of the season for UMES. The Hawks would go on to add single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, taking a dominating 7-1 lead. Jorge Pichardo would start the sixth with a single to center. Matt Witte and Vaughn would then draw one out walks to load the bases. Orsini grounded out to third but plated Pichardo. In the next inning Coppi led-off with a walk and Russell Duetschmann then reached on an error. After a fly out that moved Coppi to third, Pichardo grounded out but plated Coppi in the process. Up until the bottom of the seventh inning the Hawks' starter, Richardson, was virtually unblemished. He had allowed just the one unearned run and just two hits. He was sensational. He must have worn down however, because the Eagles offense found what they had literally been missing, the ball. They scored five times off of Richardson, six in the inning and picked up three hits and took advantage of an error. Richardson hit one batter, walked the next and a sacrifice bunt then turned bad, allowing the runner to reach and then move to second on an error by Hercinger. That play allowed one run to score and then a single from Williams plated another run. Richardson would walk the final batter he faced to load the bases and Elliott Arrington took over to try and get out of the jam. The Eagle bats stayed hot. Carlos Russell would double down the left field line and plate two runs while a ground out would record another. A passed ball would score another run and to the shock of UMES, the game was tied at seven. In jeopardy of falling a game behind in the MEAC and taking a loss to a team that was winless last season, UMES put on the rally caps. In the eighth inning Orsini hit a one out double down the left field line. Hercinger then singled through the left side and Orsini was on third. A wild pitch moved Hercinger up and gave UMES the lead as Orsini scored. Coppin changed pitchers and put in a reliever, Keller. He couldn't find the plate with Coppi and Duetschmann drawing walks. That would load the bases and Coppin called the bullpen again. Jerry Matos wouldn't fare much better. He walked Tyler Love who got the easy RBI and then gave up a single to Pichardo who Coppi. Witte then hit a shot to left to score Duetschmann. The inning may have continued but Love was cut down at third trying to advance. With four runs in the inning UMES had an 11-7 lead and Arrington would go on to allow just one hit over the next two innings to earn his first collegiate win and the first win of the season for the Hawk pitching staff. He officially worked three innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run. He walked three and struck out three. Offensively UMES had a solid game. Orsini was 3-6 with three runs and an RBI, Coppi was 2-4 with three runs and four RBI, including a home run and Pichardo was 2-5 with a run and two RBI. Just five Eagle players had a hit with Williams going 2-3 with a run and two RBI. Moses Muldrow took the loss allowing three runs, two earned in two and a third innings of work. Today's game was rescheduled from a doubleheader starting at Noon, to a single game starting at 6:00 p.m. due to a scheduling conflict on the field. The two teams play games two and three of the series tomorrow in a doubleheader starting at noon with a seven and nine inning game. |
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