Owls Drop Doubleheader Against CCBC Essex

The Prince George's Community College baseball team dropped both games of a home doubleheader against visiting CCBC Essex on Tuesday afternoon, March 22^nd. The Knights came out swinging in game one, topping the Owls 15-2 in five innings before a battle in the second game ended with a 10-8 Essex win. The pair of losses now drops the Owls record to 3-11 overall and 1-7 in Maryland JUCO play.

Freshman Carlos Sepulveda (1-3) got the start in game one as the Knights quickly jumped in front 5-0 in the first inning and was later replaced by Isándel Ramos in the fourth inning with Essex in control, 7-0. Ramos struggled as well against the Knights offense as Essex grew their lead to 9 before Ramos was quickly replaced by Bennie Spady. Spady closed out the final 1.2 innings, picking up his first strikeout of the year as the Knights increased their total to 15.

Facing a shutout in the bottom of the fifth, the Owls finally got on the board when Prince George's took advantage of a pair of passed balls by the Knights catcher to send Dante Fairchild and Luis Cedeno home to score two runs and cut into the Knights lead, 15-2. Prince George's couldn't keep the momentum going as the Knights retired the Owls final batter on a foul ball and secured the run-rule victory after five innings.

Freshman Ryan Ahalt (0-2) began game two on the mound for the Owls, facing 31 batters through nearly six innings before freshman Josh Scalish (Cleveland, OH) came in to replace him with the Knights in front, 8-5. Scalish proceeded to strike out the Knights batter in his first appearance for Prince George's on the season.

Santiago Jimenez blasted a three-run homer, his second home run of the game after knocking one over the fence to open the scoring for the Owls in the first inning, with one out in the bottom of the sixth to tie up the score at 8. Essex then quickly put away Fairchild and Hector Vargas to head into the top of the seventh.

The Knights managed to take the lead during the inning after a single into left field allowed runners on second and third to cross the plate and regain control, 10-8. Catcher Christian Rivera gunned down a Knights runner attempting to steal third to give the Owls their second out which was followed up by a line out to center field to give Prince George's a chance to comeback in the final half inning. After two quick outs, Rivera was walked and later advanced to second on a base hit from Tanner Perkes which put the Owls leadoff hitter, sophomore Miles LeVere, at the plate. LeVere, who's batting .361 on the year, was unable to complete the comeback for the Owls as he struck out looking to wrap up the day.

With the pair of losses, the Owls have now dropped six straight ahead of their twin bill matchup against CCBC Dundalk on Thursday, March 24^th in Largo, MD. The visiting Lions (3-16, 3-7) most recently split a doubleheader against College of Southern Maryland on Saturday, March 19^th.