Skipjacks rally late to top Potomac State, 9-8

WYE MILLS – J.D. Correa hit a game-tying, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth and Jordan Gowe scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth Saturday afternoon as Chesapeake College's baseball team defeated visiting Potomac State College, 9-8.

"We've been in a lot of close games," said Chesapeake head coach Frank Szymanski, whose team improved to 4-4 in one-run games this season.  "It's about learning from each situation and competing every day."

Chesapeake (16-8) won its seventh straight while Potomac State (13-10) lost for only the fourth time in its last 13 games.  The Catamounts have won 10 of the last 13 NJCAA Division I Region XX championships, increasing the significance of Chesapeake's first region game of the season.

"They always have a good team and they're always there at the end," said Szymanski.  "This is a good step for us."

Potomac State erased a 5-1 deficit while building an 8-6 lead before Catamount reliever Tanner Everton walked Lane Farmer (2-for-3, three RBI) leading off the bottom of the eighth.  Two outs later, Correa hammered his game-tying homer.

"J.D.'s homer was huge," said Szymanski.  "It really gave us a lot of momentum in a back-and-forth game that was so competitive."

Gowe (3-for-5, double, triple, two RBI) singled off Everton leading off the bottom of the ninth.  After Trent Erhet's sacrifice bunt moved Gowe to second, Kam Stewart was intentionally walked.

An Everton wild pitch moved Gowe to third and Stewart to second, leading the Catamounts to intentionally walk Matt Schotanus to load the bases.  Everton then uncorked another wild pitch – this one on an 0-2 count to Farmer – to allow Gowe to score the winning run.

Tyler McGovern (2-0) earned the victory, going the final 2 2/3 innings with three strikeouts while allowing a run on two hits with no walks.

Mike Eisel and Elliott McCummings each had three hits for PSC.