Chesapeake rallies to gain split with Harford
WYE MILLS – Chesapeake College's baseball team shook off a disappointing, opening-game loss to pick up a critical doubleheader split Saturday afternoon at Harford Community College.
The Skipjacks committed three errors, including two in a three-run first inning, and stranded five runners in the last two frames as Harford claimed a 4-2 victory in Saturday's opener. Chesapeake bounced back by taking full advantage of two Harford errors, scoring four unearned runs to beat the reigning state and region champs, 6-3.
"Each game is a new opportunity," said Chesapeake head coach Frank Szymanski. "We came out with a lot of focus in the second game. We knew that we could compete with them and we were able to put it all together in the second game – the good pitching, the excellent defense and the timely hitting."
The split kept the Skipjacks (21-12 overall, 10-4 league) in the thick of the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference chase. CCBC-Catonsville, Frederick and Cecil each have two league losses, but Chesapeake has two games left against each of those squads.
"Our goal is to play meaningful games at the end of the year," said Szymanski, whose squad has two highly meaningful games Tuesday in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Frederick.
"It's a very important doubleheader," acknowledged Szymanski, who noted that are numerous important games down the stretch. "We'll take them one game at a time and continue to move towards our goal of winning the state and the region."
Chesapeake helped its title hopes Saturday by overcoming a 1-0 deficit in Game 2 with two fourth-inning runs and a four-run sixth.
Kam Stewart reached on an infield error to open the fourth and took second on Jordan Gowe's single up the middle. After Daniel Allen's sacrifice moved the runners up, Dillon Shaw lined out for the second out.
Harford pitcher Matt Petrizzi then uncorked a wild pitch, allowed Stewart to score the tying run. J.D. Correa followed with a single to right-center, plating Gowe to give Chesapeake a 2-1 lead.
The Owls (28-12, 13-5) aided Chesapeake's four-run sixth with two more miscues. After Gowe drove in a run with a fielder's-choice grounder and Allen plated another with an RBI single, the Owls allowed one run on a throwing error and another on a wild pitch as Chesapeake built its 6-1 lead.
"We've been running the bases extremely aggressively and productively this year and we did it again against Harford," said Szymanski. "We took advantage of the opportunities they gave us, were aggressive and persevered."
Harford fought back, scoring twice in the sixth and loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Chesapeake reliever Scott Abt then induced Jerry Jerminski into a game-ending flyout to secure the victory.
Trent Ehret (2-for-3, run) was the only Skipjack with multiple hits in the nightcap as the Skipjacks finished with an 8-6 advantage in hits.
Winning pitcher Jack Wood (4-1), who allowed three hits and four walks with four strikeouts in five innings, was lifted after the first two Owls reached base to open the sixth. Abt pitched the final two innings, allowing just the two inherited runners to score and working his way around three seventh-inning hits to lock down the win.
"They (Wood and Abt) were able to locate and change speeds, and the defense was excellent behind them," said Szymanski.
Petrizzi took the loss, allowing eight hits over six innings, but only two of the six runs he allowed were earned. Petrizzi struck out four and walked two.
The opener started well enough for Chesapeake, with Allen's RBI hit in the top of the first giving the Skipjacks a 1-0 lead, but the Owls answered with their three-run rally in the home first. Two hits and a double steal preceded an error by second baseman Matt Schotanus that scored the tying run.
Jerminski followed with a bunt single that scored Jordan Glover. Chesapeake pitcher Jim Wix then made an errant pickoff throw to first, allowing Harford's third run of the inning to score.
After Shane Garrett (2-for-3, two runs) homered leading off the fifth, Chesapeake used two sixth-inning Harford errors to score an unearned run and had runners at first and third with just one out. Harford starter Kyle Hurley got out of the jam by striking out the next two batters, Paxton Batson and J.D. Correa.
Chesapeake loaded the bases in the seventh, but came up empty. Lane Farmer and Ehret had consecutive singles leading off the seventh against reliever Norm Donkin before Schotanus' groundout moved pinch runner Ryan McCulley to third and Ehret to second.
After Stewart struck out, Jordan Gowe (2-for-3, run) was intentionally walked to load the bases. Donkin then struck out Daniel Allen to end the game.
Wix took the Game 1 loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with one strikeout and one walk in a complete-game effort.
"The first inning we came out a little bit flat and made a couple of mistakes that they capitalized on," said Szymanski. "We held Harford to give ourselves a chance to get back in the game, but the timely hitting just wasn't there."