UMBC

Steve Bowen's single scored the winning run in the first game on Sunday.

In a rare instance, UMBC (13-23, 3-7 AE) and Albany (10-23, 4-4 AE) concluded three games on Sunday in America East Conference baseball action at The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC.  Games started around 1 p.m. and ended under the lights just prior to 8 p.m.  The first game was the conclusion of a seven-inning game that was suspended with a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday night due to rain.  UMBC scored the walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh for the 8-7 win.  The two teams than met for games three and four of the four-game series.  Albany took the first game, winning the seven-inning contest 7-5 in eight innings.  Albany won the nine-inning series finale by a final of 11-5 to split the series, 2-2. 

In the conclusion of the second game of the series, Mike Scheffel with two outs laced a double down the left field line, pushing Tom Meaney, who singled with one out, to third base.  Steve Bowen than looped a single into right field for the walk-off win. 

Tom Schlein earned the win as he was the pitcher of record from Friday.  Schlein moved to 3-0 on the season while Alexander Beaulieu took the loss, allowing UMBC’s seventh inning run to drop to 0-3 on the year. 

In the third game of the series and the first full game on Sunday, Albany tallied a solo run in the first and two in the third to take a 3-0 lead.  UMBC cut the margin to two at 3-1 with a RBI sacrifice fly out by Zach Clark to score Ian Carman. 

Leo Corvino sacrificed two runners into scoring position in the top of the seventh and Steve Sayre singled through the left side of the field, scoring two to push the Great Danes lead to 5-1. 

UMBC rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.  Carman led off the inning with a single.  UMBC than rattled off back-to-back-to-back doubles by Brian Moran, Clark and Joe Fowler as UMBC closed the gap to 5-4 with Fowler on second and no outs. 

Fowler moved to third on a ground out by Bowen and scored on a sacrifice fly from Mark Lemon, tying the game at 5-5. 

In the top of the eighth, a two-out single by Brad Daniels set the table for back-to-back doubles by Steve Wyland and Tom Hill to give the Great Danes a 7-5 lead.  UMBC brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs, but fielder’s choice ended the threat to give the Great Danes their first win of the series. 

Giorgio Fuda (2-4) finished the final 1.1 innings to earn the win.  Casey Walsh went the first 6.2 innings, allowing all five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.  Eddie Bach started going 6.0 innings and allowing four runs on eight hits.  Dan Blewitt (1-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits.  Tom Schlein recorded the last out for the Retrievers. 

In the series finale, Albany pounded out 11 runs on 14 hits against five UMBC pitchers en route to the win and splitting the series with UMBC.  After the Retrievers jumped on the board in the first on a three-run home run from Steve Bowen, the Great Danes scored six of the next seven runs to take a 6-4 lead. 

After the Retrievers added a run in the bottom of the sixth, Albany tacked on two runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and two in the ninth inning en route to the 11-5 win.  Albany’s four, five and six hitters went a combined 9-for-14 with six RBI and five runs scored. 

Leo Corvino went 4-for-4, Tom Hill went 3-for-5 and Sean Donovan went 2-for-5.  Tony Kirbis earned the win for Albany, moving to 3-2 on the year.  Kirbis went 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits.  Josh Willimott pitched the final 4.0 innings, allowing no runs and two hits with five strikeouts. 

Zach Clark dropped to 1-3 on the year gong the first 6.0 innings, allowing six runs, three earned, on nine hits.  UMBC used four pitchers to get through the final three innings of the game.  Bowen led UMBC going 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored in the game.

UMBC returns to action at home Tuesday night at 7 p.m. as they welcome Mount St. Mary’s.