March 18, 2013

Game Notes - UMES vs. Monmouth, Georgetown

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PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The Hawks will continue their homestand with a pair of mid-week games, taking on Monmouth on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and then Georgetown at 3 p.m. on Wednesday in Princess Anne.

It will be the first-ever meeting and only game this season between UMES and Monmouth. UMES will play against Georgetown for the first time since 2000, when the Hoyas swept both games against the Hawks 14-5 and 17-9. This is the first of two games between UMES and Georgetown; the second game will be played in Bethesda on April 30th at 7 p.m.

UMES is coming off the start of conference play, falling to in-state rival Coppin State in two contests in the three-game set, and enters the week at 4-15. Monmouth, representive of the Northeast Conference, enters Tuesday at 5-8 and this past weekend won two out of three against Virginia Commonwealth. Georgetown, member of the Big East Conference, comes into the week at 12-6. The Hoyas are on a five-game winning streak, including sweeping Princeton in a three-game set this weekend at home.

SCHOTT NAMED TO JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST
The Greater Wichita Sports Commission announced on Monday that UMES catcher Brandon Schott has been placed on the 2013 Johnny Bench Award Watch List. This award is given to the top catcher in Division I college baseball each year.

Schott, the only player that plays in the state of Maryland or the MEAC to be nominated for the award, is hitting .298 in 14 games this season with and eight runs batted in. His five doubles and .404 slugging percentage are both second-strongest on the team.

LAST TIME OUT: UMES FALLS IN TWO OUT OF THREE TO COPPIN STATE
Despite earning the first nine-inning shutout since 2006, UMES was defeated in the series to Coppin State over the weekend to start conference play, falling in game one 7-0, winning the second game 3-0 and losing the rubber game 7-6 in seven.

Will Turley and Jesus Hernandez combined to throw the shutout on Sunday, with Turley going six and Hernandez going the final three. Jeffrey Fleetwood hit .400 over the weekend, bringing in four runs.

UMES BASEBALL PREDICTED TO FINISH THIRD IN MEAC NORTH
The Hawks baseball team is predicted to finish third in the MEAC Northern Division, released by the conference on Wednesday.

UMES received 143 points in the voting. Delaware State has been predicted to repeat as division champions, earning 17 first-place votes for 213 points. Norfolk State got one first-place vote and is predicted to take second with 163 points and Coppin State is in fourth with 131 points.

Pedro Swann TAKES OVER AS UMES HEAD COACH
UMES Director of Athletics Keith Davidson announced in September that former major leaguer and MEAC star Pedro Swann is the new head coach of Hawks baseball. Swann replaces Will Gardner, who left UMES after six seasons.

Swann brings a wealth of baseball experience to Princess Anne, playing in the professional ranks for 17 years from 1991 to 2007. He played for Delaware State from 1989-1991, earning all-conference honors all three years and hitting .421 with 26 home runs in his career.

FEAR THE FRESHMEN PITCHERS
The four UMES rookie pitchers have been stalwart for the Hawks this season, combining to throw 46.2 innings from the bullpen and allowing 18 earned runs for a 3.47 ERA. Two of them, Chris Lopez and Will Turley, are in the starting rotation. Lopez earned his first UMES victory with 5.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs against Lafayette. Turley picked his first UMES win on Sunday, throwing six shutout innings against Coppin State.

NEW LOOK INFIELD PAYS DIVIDENDS
Outside of Jeffrey Fleetwood, UMES has relied on a young infield group this season that has been very strong early on.

At the left side of the infield, two freshmen man the ranks with Connor Breslin, who ijust recently snapped a seven-game hitting streak but had an RBI single in UMES's near comeback against Coppin State, taking the hot corner and Mike Escanilla, who is second on the team with 13 runs, serves as the squad's shortstop.

At second base, Thomas Gray took over for Joshua James, who went out to center field. In 14 games played, Gray is hitting .263 with a .341 on-base percentage and seven RBI.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
Monmouth's contest against UMES will be the only game against a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponent this year.

Sophomore outfielder Steve Wilgus is leading the Monmouth Hawks with a .326 batting average, a home run, eight RBI and a .456 on-base percentage. Also with a home run, junior infielder Jake Gronsky is batting .304 with five RBI. The slated starter in freshman lefty Anthony Ciavarella, who has allowed seven earned runs in one inning combined thrown.

Georgetown will play a mid-week contest against George Washington on Tuesday.

The top batter on the Hoyas is senior outfielder Justin Leeson, who is hitting .371 with six doubles and 12 RBI. Junior outfielder Christian Venditti has a team-best three home runs and 18 RBI, batting .290. Possible starters include freshman southpaw Gino Basso, or freshmen righties Matt Smith or Tim Davis.

LORD BYRON
Byron Campbell, last year's Co-Most Improved Player for the UMES baseball, has reached base in his last 17 games. Currently he leads the team in many categories, including a .385 batting average, a .477 slugging percentage, a .481 on-base percentage, 16 runs, six doubles, seven walks, six hit by pitches and seven stolen bases.

HAWKS BASEBALL RETURNS TO WGOP 540 AM
UMES baseball will be back on the air this season on the flagship station of the Hawks Radio Network, Timeless Favorites WGOP 540 AM. Dave Vatz will provide play-by-play for the games, while Justin Harrison serves as the primary producer in the studio. All games that are broadcast will be available online for free.

RUN!
Last season, the Hawks stole 37 bases in a total of 53 games, averaging just over two steals every three games. This year early on, UMES has attempted steals 29 times, being successful in 0 tries, averaging over a steal per a game. Byron Campbell leads the team with seven steals out of nine attempts on the basepaths. Mike Escanilla has four steals to stand second while Connor Breslin, Joshua James, Tre-von Johnson and Malik Wylie all have a pair of steals each.