ST. DAVIDS, Pa. - The Hood College baseball used a seven-run seventh inning to help erase a three-run deficit to take the first of a three-game Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth series at Eastern 10-8.
At the Plate
- Tyler Schwarzman (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) led Hood, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two stolen bases. The second stolen base gave the junior the season stolen base record (23) that was previously held by Cam Esposito and Daniel Shepherd.
- Richard Kershow (Eatons Neck, N.Y./Northport) recorded two hits in the game with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
- Austin Rhue (Milton, Del./Cape Henlopen) had two hits and two RBIs on the afternoon.
- Jacob Saylor (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) finished the game with two hits, a double and an RBI.
On the Mound
- Aaron Heller (Philadelphia, Pa./Jack Barrack Hebrew Acad.) started the game for the Blazers and threw four complete innings, allowing three run on six hits in a no decision.
- Gavin McGuigan (Croydon, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) tossed a scoreless fifth inning.
- Declan Sullivan (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's) took home the win on the mound, giving up two runs on three hits in two innings of work.
- Scott Ash (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) let in one run on a hit in the eighth inning.
- Kevin Nelson, Jr. (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) received the save in ninth inning, giving up two runs on three hits.
How it Happened
- Hood was down 3-2 heading into the seventh inning and rattled off seven runs to take the lead 9-3. Saylor hit a one-out double down the right field line and Keegan Brennan (Lake Wynonah, Pa./Nativity BVM) was hit by a pitchto put two runners on. Rhue singled up the middle to knock in Saylor, tying the game 3-3. Sommer was hit by a pitch to load the bases up and with two outs Cristian Reyna (Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford) reached on an error by Evan Barks at third base to score Brennan and Rhue to give Hood its first lead of the game at 5-3. Kershow doubled into the right field gap to let Sommer and Reyna cross home and soon after a Schwarzman single to right field scored Kershow. The scoring ended when Schwarzman stole second and third and was able to make it home on a throwing error by Griffin Falco for a six-run advantage.
- Mark Cruser and Matt McHale both hit solo home runs in the bottom of the seventh to bring Eastern within four still down 9-5.
- The Eagles added another run in the eighth inning to bring them within three 9-6. Brian Lang walked to start the inning and made it to third on a Falco double to left field. Lang scored on a Cruser groundout to shortstop.
- Reyna was hit by a pitch to start the ninth inning and later scored on a Saylor sacrifice fly to center field to give the Blazers an insurance run 10-6.
- Eastern did not go down quietly in the bottom half of the inning. Logan Klember and McHale hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. An error by Matthew Stout (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) at first base scored pinch runner Ryan Turzani. Sean Cottrell knocked in McHale from third on a sacrifice fly to right field to bring the Eagles winning run to the plate.
- Nelson, Jr. recorded a key strikeout for the second out before a pop foul closed the door on the 10-8 victory for the Blazers.
- In the third inning, Barks tripled with two outs and later scored on a McHale single to left center field to give a 1-0 lead for Eastern.
- The Eagles used a Lang two-run home run to extend their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning.
- Schwarzman and Saylor both singled and Brennan reached first by an error by Barks at third base to load the bases up with one out in the fifth. Rhue was hit by a pitch to drive in Schwarzman and Sommer knocked in Saylor on a sacrifice fly to left to pull Hood within one 3-2.
For the Opponent
- McHale led the Eagles going 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and scoring twice.
- Lang hit a homer and knocked in two runs.
- Cruser ended the game with a home run and two RBIs.
- Cottrell and Paradise both ended the afternoon with an RBI.
Notes
- Hood improves to 16-17 (9-10) on the year.
- Eastern dipped to 9-25 (4-15).
Up Next
The Blazers are back in action on Saturday, Apr. 22 as they continue their three game series with Eastern at home for senior day at 11 a.m.
