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April 25, 2004
Princess Anne, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Hawks (3-42-1, 0-18 MEAC) fell in their final game of the regular season today, senior day, to the Hornets of Delaware State University (DSU) by a score of 12-3. Southpaw starter Derrick Batton baffled the Hawks from the mound, throwing a no hitter into the fourth inning and allowing three runs, two earned, in a complete game with eight strikeouts. The story of the series was not only the Hornet bats, they hit four home runs today, but stolen bases, as they swiped seven bags today and 22 total in the three game series. DSU got on the board first today, scoring three runs in the second, fourth, and seventh innings. They added one in the fifth and two in the ninth inning to make it 12 runs. The Hawks put one on the board in the seventh inning when Bobby Shaw hit a two out single to left and moved all the way to third on an error by the left fielder. A Rob Benak double to left plated Shaw for the first Hawk run. UMES added two in the ninth. Dereck Casper, pinch hitting for Greg Cathell, led-off with a walk. He was followed by senior Leon Tilghman who collected a hit in his last at bat in Hawks Stadium. That was a single through the left side. He was followed by Shaw, also a senior in his last plate appearance at home. He peppered a single through the left side, scoring Casper. A wild pitch during Benak's appearance moved Tilghman to third and put Shaw on second. James Walls, catching for Butch Mills, grounded out, but scored Tilghman for the second run.
Delaware State had a good game from Kevin Hill who went 4-5 with a home run, four runs, and an RBI. Norris Gordon went 2-5 with a run and an RBI while Matt Folke, replacing C.J. Acker early in the game, collected three RBIs and a run while going 1-4 with a home run at the plate.
Leon Tilghman made the start, allowing four earned runs in four innings, walking one. He was relieved by Terrell Harris who gave up four earned in three innings of work. The final two innings were pitched by Graylon Kitchens, another senior, who allowed two earned and struck out one. Kitchens started the game in right field and went 1-3 today at the plate, collecting a single to right in his final at bat. The three Hawk seniors made quite an impact on Hawk Baseball, anchoring the team for the last four years as pitchers, outfielders, and infielders. They were honored today in a pre-game ceremony by Head Coach Bobby Rodriguez and presented with certificates and jerseys to commemorate their time on the Hawk Stadium diamond. While the regular season some to an end, the Hawks head to the MEAC Championships next week in Lake Buena Vista, FL at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. Those games will be played April 29-May 2. UMES clinched third place in the competitive MEAC Northern Division while the Hornets were the first place team. |
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