UMBC

Steve Bowen recorded two hits, two RBI and a home run on Wednesday.

TOWSON, Md.  - Sophomore A.J. Tinnerella (Centennial H.S./Ellicott City, Md.) clouted a pinch hit grand slam home run to cap off a seven-run sixth inning as Towson University (9-17) came from behind to edge UMBC (8-12) by an 8-7 margin at John B. Schuerholz Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Tinnerella’s grand slam, his first home run of the season, gave the Tigers an 8-5 lead in the sixth inning.

The Retrievers nearly tied the game in the ninth inning. Trailing by 8-6, sophomore Joe Fowler (St. Mark’s H.S./Wilmington, Del.) hit a one-out single to centerfield off Tiger lefthander Steve Johnson (Old Mill H.S./Severn, Md.). Freshman catcher Tom Meaney (Sachem H.S./Holbrook, N.Y.) followed with a triple to right centerfield, scoring Fowler and putting the tying run at third base.

Junior righthander Josh Brown (Catonsville C.C./Annapolis, Md.) came in from the Tiger bullpen to earn the save. With the infield in, Brown got senior second baseman Ian Carman (Cecil C.C./North East, Md.) to hit a ground ball directly to sophomore shortstop Brian Conley (Quince Orchard H.S./Gaithersburg, Md.). Conley held the runner at third and threw to first base for the out.  

Then, Brown retired sophomore Brian Moran (Chapelgate H.S./Columbia, Md.) on an infield pop-up to end the game. 

Brown earned his third save of the season. Johnson picked up the win in relief as he allowed two earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Johnson is now 2-1 on the year.

The Retrievers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when hot-hitting Zach Clark (Newark H.S./Newark, Del.) reached on an infield single with two outs. After advancing to second base on a passed ball, he scored the go-ahead run on double down the left field line by junior shortstop Steve Bowen (Catonsville C.C./Pasadena, Md.)

In the Tigers’ half of the second, junior Hans Falkenhan (Blake H.S./Silver Spring, Md.) led off with a double to left. After moving to third base on an infield out, he scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Greg Furmanek (Magruder H.S./Olney, Md.).

The Retrievers went ahead by 2-1 in the third inning when sophomore Steve Russo (Conestoga Valley H.S./Lancaster, Pa.) blasted a solo home run to rightfield with two outs, his first homer of the season.

Bowen and Fowler smashed back-to-back home runs to lead off the fourth inning, giving UMBC a 4-1 lead, knocking freshman pitcher Nate Curd (St. Paul’s H.S./Baltimore, Md.) out of the game. 

Later in the fourth inning, the Retrievers added an unearned run when Meaney struck out on a wild pitch and reached base. After an infield error extended the inning, junior rightfielder Mike Scheffel (Westminster H.S./Westminster, Md.) drove in a run with a two-out single to right, giving UMBC a 5-1 lead.

After holding the Tigers to one run on two hits through five innings of work, sophomore righthander Sean Rae (Westminster H.S./Westminster, Md.) ran into trouble in the sixth inning. Freshman catcher Jason Stiffler (North Harford H.S./Jarrettsville, Md.) led off with a single and went to second base on a passed ball. With one out, a single by senior rightfielder Adam Heffron (Hammond H.S./Laurel, Md.) put runners on first and third. An infield single by junior Kyle Skellchock (Watkins Mill H.S./Germantown, Md.) scored Stifler to cut the lead to 5-2. Conley drove in another run with a bad-hop single to right center.

When Rae walked Falkenhan to load the bases, he was replaced by freshman righthander Tim Comiskey (East Islip H.S./Great River, N.Y.). After retiring Ryan Schreiter (Montoursville Area H.S./Montoursville, Pa.) on a pop-up, Comiskey walked Furmanek with the bases loaded to force in a run.

Tinnerella, who had hit only one home run in his career, came up as a pinch hitter for freshman Gary Helmick (Northeast H.S./Pasadena, Md.). On a 1-2 pitch, he clouted a grand slam to left, giving the Tigers an 8-5 lead, capping off their seven-run inning.

UMBC pulled to within 8-6 in the eighth inning when Moran hit a bloop single with one out. With two outs, Scheffel reached base on a infield single, putting runners on first and second. A single to centerfield by Russo drove in Moran to make it 8-6. However, Johnson retired Clark on a grounder to shortstop, ending the threat.

The Retrievers, who lost their fifth game in a row, out-hit the Tigers by a 13-9 margin. Scheffel, Russo, Bowen, Fowler, Meaney and Moran each had two hits.

Skellchock and Stifler each had two hits for the Tigers, who won their second straight game.