FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College baseball team led by Joe Alexander (Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County) and his program record-breaking 12 strikeouts with Tyler Schwarzman (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) and his four RBIs outmatch Stevenson in their first conference game of the season with a score of 8-1.
At the Plate
Tyler Schwarzman (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) went 4-for-5 including a double, four RBIs and two stolen bases.
Sebastian Paz (Miami, Fla./Immaculata-La Salle) went 2-for-4, was hit by a pitch and scored a run.
Keegan Brennan (Lake Wynonah, Pa./Nativity BVM) went 1-for-2, drew two walks and scored twice.
Jacob Saylor (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) went 1-for-2 and scored twice in his 100th career start for the Blazers.
On the Mound
Joe Alexander (Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County) broke a program record with 12 strikeouts on the day pitching eight innings while allowing only one earned run and one walk on five hits.
Gavin Pollard (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) pitched the final inning allowing only one hit and striking out the final batter of the game.
How it Happened
In the top of the second, a bunt attempt by Stevenson back to Alexander on the mound was fielded and thrown to home to cut down a runner at home plate to prevent a run from crossing.
However, Stevenson's Perillo shot a single to the outfield to bring in the first run of the game 1-0 Mustangs.
The bottom half of the second brought trouble with two outs for Stevenson as Jacob Saylor (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) singles followed with walks by Keegan Brennan (Lake Wynonah, Pa./Nativity BVM) and Austin Rhue (Milton, Del./Cape Henlopen).
Schwarzman singled to the right-side scoring both Brennan and Saylor to take the lead 2-1 Blazers. Sommer followed with an RBI single scoring Rhue.
A passed ball by opposing catcher caused an overthrow back to the plate and Schwarzman reached home safely extending the lead 4-1.
In the Blazers next at bat Paz was hit by a pitch before Alex Jenkins (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) singled to put runners at the corners. Saylor laid down a bunt to score Paz from third and moved Jenkins over to second and later a bases loaded walk would would score him.
The fifth inning Schwarzman cashed in again with a single up the middle with runners on to score both Keegan Brennan (Lake Wynonah, Pa./Nativity BVM) and Saylor to push the score to 8-1.
After one run scored for Stevenson in the top half of the first, they would be held scoreless by Alexander and Pollard.
For the Opponent
Chris Manco went 2-for-4 with a double.
Brandon Perillo went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Analysis
Hood College improves to 9-3, 1-0 in the conference.
Stevenson drops to 5-7, 0-1 in conference.
Jacob Saylor (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) made his 100th career start.
Joe Alexander's (Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County) 12 strikeouts was a single-game program record, topping his own record of 11 strikeouts when he faced another conference foe in Albright back in 2022.
Up Next
Hood will finish out the three game series against on the road at Stevenson for a doubleheader on Saturday with first pitch at noon with the second game following immediately after.
