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HAWKS WIN FINAL HOME GAME
April 25, 2008 -
The CSM baseball team rallied from behind to
win their final home game of the season, 5-2, to earn a split of a
doubleheader against Rockville. The Knights won the first game 10-6.
The four CSM sophomores, Derrick Baker, Chris Williford, Justin Mika, and
Guy Clarke were all on the field to savor the victory in their final game on
the CSM diamond, and they all played a key role in the win.
Guy Clarke, although hitless in the second game, made some key defensive
plays at third to keep the Knights at bay.
Derrick Baker was hit by a pitch in the 1st inning, stole second base,
advanced to third on an error by the shortstop, and came home to score the
Hawks first run on a fielder's choice.
Justin Mika played excellent defense at first base, scooping up several
errant throws, and walked with the bases loaded to drive in what proved to
be the winning run in the fifth inning.
Chris Williford went the distance on the mound for the win, allowing 2 runs
on 4 hits in the seven inning game. Williford walked 3 and struck out
3. He helped his own cause going 2-4 at the plate, with a double and
single and scoring two of the five runs for the Hawks.
Freshman Mark Oxendine was the other offensive star for the Hawks, going two
for three with a single and a double, and driving in two runs.
Rockville (11-27, 3-21) got on the scoreboard first, taking a 1-0 lead in
the top of the first inning. C.J. Stecher singled with one out, and
advanced to second on a single by Kyle Erhet. Stecher and Erhet
executed the double steal, and Stecher came home to score on a sacrifice fly
by Sean Plouffe.
The Hawks answered right back in the bottom of the 1st. Derreck Baker
was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Baker advanced to third when
shortstop C.J. Stecher threw the ball into right field trying to double
Baker off second base after catching a line shot hit by Chris Williford.
Baker scored on Mark Oxendine's ground out to third base, tying the game
1-1.
Rockville took the lead again in the third. With one out Greg Lazor
was hit by a pitch, and stole second base. After C.J. Stecher flied
out to center field, Kyle Erhet delivered a two out base hit to put the
Knights up 2-1.
Once again the Hawks answered in their half of the inning. With one
out Mark Oxendine was hit by a pitch. Matt Hoepfl hit a grounder to
short that C.J. Stecher threw into right field. Oxendine was gunned
out at the plate, for the second out of the inning, with Hoepfl advancing to
second. Kevin Mullins delivered a two out RBI, as he singled to plate
Hoepfl, tying the game once again 2-2.
Both teams went quietly in the fourth, but the Hawks mounted another rally
in the 5th. Chris Williford and Mark Oxendine led off with consecutive
singles, and a perfectly placed bunt by Matt Hoepfl loaded the bases with
none out. After Kevin Mullins popped out to short, Justin Mika walked
to drive in the first run of the inning. Denis Morgan's sacrifice fly
to center scored the second run, and CSM led 4-2 after five innings.
CSM (13-18, 6-14) added an insurance run in the sixth. With two outs,
Chris Williford and Mark Oxendine hit back to back doubles, as CSM took the
win 5-2.
John Morley took the loss for Rockville. He pitched 5 innings, giving
up 4 runs on 6 hits, walking 2 and striking out 2.
The first game was a slugfest, with Rockville coming from behind to best the
Hawks 10-6.
The Hawks scored first, taking a 2-0 lead after the first inning. With
one out, Chris Williford doubled and Warren Sollers walked, putting runners
on first and second with one out. After Mark Oxendine flew out to
center, Kevin Mullins singled to plate Williford, with Sollers advancing to
third. Then Sollers and Mullins pulled off a perfect double steal,
with Mullins taking second while Sollers scored the second run of the inning
for the Hawks.
Rockville answered back in the top of the second. Ben Keller singled
to lead off the inning, but was gunned down by Derrick Baker trying to steal
second. After Doug Story grounded out to second, it looked like CSM
would escape the inning with no damage. However four straignt hits, a
double by Kevin McTighe, and singles by Jon Morley, James Morris, and Greg
Lazor plated two runs to tie the game 2-2. The Knights would have
taken the lead, except rightfielder Kevin Mullins gunned out Morris trying
to advance from first to third on a single, to end the inning.
CSM answered once again with three runs in the bottom of the second to take
a 5-2 lead. With one out Joe Saverino singled, and Derrick Baker was
hit by a pitch. Both advanced on a double steal, putting runners at
second and third with one out. Chris Williford popped out to short for
the second out. Warren Sollers came to the plate and blasted the ball
350 feet over the right centerfield fence for the three RBI home run.
The Knights countered with two runs in the top of the third, cutting the
margin to 5-4. Sean Plouffe singled with two out, and then Ben Keller
went yard with a 330 foot shot over the left field fence.
Rockville scored two runs in the top of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead.
With one out Kyle Ehret walked, then advanced to second when Pat Mahoney's
pick-off attempt went into right field. Sean Plouffe reached on a
throwing error by shortstop Mark Oxendine, with Ehret advancing to third.
After Plouffe stole second base, Ben Keller singled to plate both runners.
Rockville scored three more times in the sixth to increase their lead to
10-4. The Knights had four hits, and were helped by a Hawk fielding
error. Erhet, Plouffe, and Keller all recorded RBI's for the Knights.
CSM would cut the lead to 9-6 in the bottom of the sixth. With one out
Chris Williford and Warren Sollers singled, and then Mark Oxendine hit the
third consecutive single of the inning to plate Williford. Rockville
pitcher Pat Carley let Kevin Mullins ground ball go through his legs to load
the bases, still with one out. The Hawks looked to cut further into
the Rockvlle lead, but Dennis Morgan hit a ground ball to second and the
Knights executed the double play to escape without further damage.
Rockville scored one final run in the top of the seventh, as James Morris
doubled, then scored on Greg Lazor's single for the final 10-6 margin.
Pat Carley got the win for Rockville, pitching all seven innings and giving
up 6 runs on 12 hits. He walked 3 and struck out 5.
Pat Mahoney took the loss for CSM, as he also pitched a complete game.
He gave up 10 runs on 17 hits, walking 1 and striking out 1.
Warren Sollers and Mark Oxendine, Chris Williford and Joe Saverino led the
Hawk attack. Sollers went 2-3, with a three run homerun.
Oxendine was 3-4 with a RBI, and Williford 2-4 while scoring two runs.
Joe Savrino had a good day at the plate, going 3-4 with a double and two
singles, and scored a run for the Hawks.
The weather conditions were perfect, with the game time temperature 79, and
the skies partly cloudy.
The Hawks will conclude the season on the road, starting with a 2:00 PM
doubleheader at Garrett on Monday.
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