UMBC

Senior Ed Bach

WEST HARTFORD, Ct.—The UMBC baseball team started 2010 America East conference play on the right foot Saturday afternoon, taking both games of a doubleheader, 6-4 and 14-9 in 12 innings. With the wins, the Retrievers move to 6-16 (2-0 America East) on the season, while the Hawks fall to 5-16 (0-2 AEC).

In the first game, sophomore Brian Klukowicz (Clifton, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) and freshman Aaron Brill (Palm Beach, Fla./John I. Leonard) scored on a dropped fly ball in the top of the sixth inning to propel the Retrievers to a 6-4 win.

In the top of the third, junior Bryan Russo (Westbury, N.Y./Clarke) hit a three-run home run to right-center field after Brill scored on a sophomore Max Himmelstein (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) sacrifice fly.

UMBC senior starter Andrew Germuth (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding/Mount St. Mary's) allowed four runs in 2.1 innings of work, while fellow senior Ed Bach (Columbia, Md./Atholton) (3-4) allowed just one hit in 4.2 innings of relief, to earn the win.

Hartford starter Steve Sobocinski (1-4) pitched a complete game, but took the loss allowing six runs (four earned) with three strikeouts.

In the second game, the Retrievers fell behind by 6-1 after four innings, but scored clawed their way back and scored four runs in the ninth to tie the game at seven. Both teams scored one run each in the 10th and 11th innings, before UMBC scored five unearned runs in the top of the 12th and held on for a 14-9 victory.

In the top of the 12th, the Retrievers capitalized on three Hartford errors, including junior Rick Phillips (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) driving in two runs with a double center, Brill hitting a RBI double down the left field line and sophomore Curtis Schickner (East Windsor, N.J./Lawrenceville Prep) singling in Brill to conclude the scoring.

UMBC junior starter Austin Drewyer (Ellicott City, Md./River Hill) allowed five runs in three innings of work, striking out two. Freshman Sean Swetnam (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt/George Mason) (1-2) took the win after working the 11th.

Hartford’s Brian Rice (0-1) took the loss, allowing seven runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings of work.

Both teams combined for 40 hits in the second game, with every Retriever starter earning a hit. The two teams return to action Sunday for another doubleheader that starts at noon.