Hagerstown Takes Two From Prince George's Baseball

Hagerstown Takes Two From Prince George's Baseball

LARGO, Md. – Hagerstown Community College rallied for the victory in both ends of a doubleheader to earn a sweep against Prince George's Community College in Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference (MD JUCO) action on Thursday. The Hawks (13-6, 2-1 MD JUCO) won the opener 4-3 and then took the nightcap, 13-7.

Brandon Crosby (Richmond, Va./Atlee, Mechanicsville) paced the Owls (10-5-1, 0-4-1 MD JUCO) with a 5-for-8 performance with four RBIs and three runs scored in the two games. Crosby knocked in all three runs in the opener for the Largo program, including smacking a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the first inning.

Naquan Holden (Brooklyn, N.Y./Perkiomen) posted four hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the two contests while Kilian Bloat (Liberty, N.Y./Liberty) registered two hits and three RBIs, and Ryan Faircloth (Wade, N.C./Cape Fear) added two hits and a run scored in the nightcap.

Justin Smith powered Hagerstown with six hits, three runs scored and an RBI while Luke Harsh tallied five hits, two runs scored and an RBI, and Quin Ambeault recorded four hits, two RBIs and a run scored on the afternoon.

In the opener, Prince George's took a 3-2 lead in the third before the Hawks scored twice in the sixth to earn the victory.

Trailing 3-2 in the sixth, Sinjin Shoop tied the game with a sacrifice fly before Hunter Martin scored when the ball popped out of the first baseman's glove trying to complete a double play for the decisive run.

The Owls got runners on base in both the sixth and the seventh, but could not convert. Bay To (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann) reached on an infield single and moved to second on an error on the play with one out in the sixth. To stole third with two outs, but a ground out ended the threat. Holden then hit a pinch-hit single through the left side in the seventh with one out before a fly out and fielder's choice ended the opening game.

Hagerstown jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Shoop scored on an error after a fly out. Shoop started and stopped after the right fielder caught the ball, but then scurried home after the throw got by the catcher.

Crosby quickly answered to tie the game in the bottom of the first when he bounced a homer onto the soccer field for his first homer of the year.

The Hawks regained the one-run lead in the second on a Shoop sacrifice fly for a 2-1 edge.

Prince George's scored twice in the third to grab a 3-2 edge. After Thomas Thorgersen (Largo, Md./Forst Park [Va.]) walked and Jared Davis (Largo, Md./Bayside [Va.]) doubled off the fence, Crosby sent a shot back up the middle to score both runners to give the Owls the advantage for the second time on the afternoon. Hagerstown then scored twice in the sixth to earn the victory.

Thomas Decker III (Grahamsville, N.Y./Tri-Valley) took the loss in the opener.

In the nightcap, Prince George's went into the last inning with a 6-4 lead before the Hawks scored nine runs to earn the doubleheader sweep with a 13-7 victory. Hagerstown scored the go-ahead run in the seventh when Jason Paredes reached on a bunt single, but two runners touched home on an error on the play.

The Owls got the scoring started in the second game with a run in the first. Crosby singled to right center and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt before Bloat plated Crosby on a bad-hop single to right field for a 1-0 lead.

After the Hawks tied the game in the second on a balk, Prince George's posted three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead. Faircloth singled down the left field line and Holden followed with a double that went over the third base bag before Faircloth touched home when Quentin Rohrbaugh (Largo, Md./Sherando [Va.]) reached on an error, but was credited with an RBI on the play.  It was déjà vu all over again with the next batter as Crosby reached with on an RBI error before Bloat capped the three-run rally with an RBI single to second.

Hagerstown chipped away at the lead with a run in the fourth on a Martin sacrifice fly to trim the margin to 4-2 only to see the Largo program restore the three-run difference with a run in the bottom of the inning. Crosby singled on a bunt and moved to second on the play before he went to third on Dwayne Coleman's (Lothian, Md./Southern) single to right field and touched home on Bloat's RBI fielder's choice for a 5-2 advantage.

Thanks to a two-run fifth, the Hawks made it a one-run game at 5-4 courtesy of RBI singles by Matt Kline and Doug Casseri.

Prince George's answered again in the fifth with a run to restore a two-run lead. Harold Marte (Largo, Md./Battlefield [Va.]) was hit with a pitch to open the frame, moved to second on a ground out and to third on a wild pitch before touching home on Holden's single through the left side for a 6-4 lead.

Hagerstown closed the game with nine runs in the seventh to take a 13-6 lead. The first three runs scored courtesy of errors while Brandon Toloso, Harsh, Martin and Smith each knocked a run before Ambeault capped the inning with a two-run single.

The Owls scored a run in the bottom of the inning to set the final score to 13-7. Holden singled to left and touched home on Coleman's RBI single.

To took the loss in the nightcap.

Prince George's continues its seven-game homestand with a twinbill against Finger Lakes on Saturday. Game time is 11 a.m.