WYE MILLS, Md. -- Harford and Chesapeake split a pair of hard fought Region XX games in which both teams staged late rallies that fell short. Chesapeake (16-11, 4-5 MD JUCO) took game one, 9-8 and Harford held on to win game 2, 7-5.
 
Harford 8, Chesapeake 9
The Fighting Owls fell just short of a possible comeback win in game one. Entering the seventh inning down three runs, Harford loaded the bases with one down and managed to score twice before the home-standing Skip Jacks were able to thwart the rally and secure the win. Rob Koski and Brandon Smith sandwiched a pair walks around Daulton Weeks' double to right field. Justin Malehorn crushed a lined shot to left field that would go down as a sacrifice fly, scoring Koski from third base but resulting in the second out of the inning. Jake Molison, who had an outstanding day at the plate, followed that up with a line drive single to center which scored Weeks, who tagged on Malehorn's sac fly, from third base to bring Harford to within one run. Joe Sheeran, pinch hitting for Gabriel Castillo, drew a walk to load the bases for Tyler Napierala. But Chesapeake hurler Mike Hackett made a good pitch, inducing a pop out to the short stop behind second base to end the game.
 
Molison had a huge game, going 3-for-3 with four runs batted-in, including a two-run homer, the first of his college career. Cody Brittain mashed his third homer of the season, a towering two-run shot to centerfield which put Harford up 4-3 in the third inning. Malehorn also drove in two runs on the day, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.
 
Austin Griffie got the start on the mound for Harford and pitched to a no-decision. He pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks while striking out four. He gave up three runs in the first inning (one earned) and two in the fifth, his last inning of work. In the fifth, he gave up back-to-back doubles before striking out the last batter he faced.
 
Out of the bullpen, James English entered the game with a 6-4 lead, a runner on second and one out in fifth inning. He struggled with his command, giving up three walks and a single. He walked a batter with the bases loaded which resulted in the tying run coming across to score. English was lifted without recording an out and would eventually be charged with the go-ahead run.
 
Ben Collincini replaced English and nearly got out of the bases load jam without allowing any further damage. He got the first batter he faced to ground into a fielder's choice. On the play, Malehorn cut down the runner at home on a 3-2 force out. Collincini induced a grounder that would have ended the inning but short stop Gabriel Castillo was unable to field it cleanly and allowed another run to score, putting Chesapeake ahead, 7-6. Collincini would retire the next batter on a fly out to center.
 
For Castillo, it was his third error of the game. He also committed two errors in the first inning. It was Castillo's first game in the field since March 19th, 17 days ago.
 
In the sixth, the Skip Jacks added two insurance runs, stringing together a single and two doubles in succession off of Collincini. Zach Correa landed the decisive blow in the inning, splitting the right-centerfield gap and driving in two crucial runs to give Chesapeake a 9-6 lead.
 
 

Harford 7, Chesapeake 5
Napierala blasted two home runs to help pace Harford to a win in game two. After making the last out of game one with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, Napierala started game two off with a bang, smashing his second home run of the season to lead off the game. It was also his second lead-off home run of the season as he pulled the same feat against Jefferson back on March 8th.

 
Napierala struck again in the top of the sixth inning, smashing his third home run of the season, a two-run bomb to left field. In the game, Napierala went 2-for-3 with three runs batted-in and a walk.
 
Harford would hold the lead the entire game, but Chesapeake did not make it easy, rallying to put the tying runs on base and the go-ahead run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Down 7-3 entering the inning, Mitch Sutton blasted a one-out double to centerfield. Dalton Reed, who was stellar for 3 2/3 innings out of the bullpen to earn the win, recorded the second out of the frame on a fly out to left field but was unable to get the final out. Dustin Jones singled up the middle for Chesapeake bringing Sutton around to score. On the play, Brittain attempted to throw Sutton out at home but his throw went wayward. Jones advanced to second on the throw and moved to second when the ball went to the back stop. Reed's next pitch bounced to the backstop, scoring Jones from third to bring Chesapeake within two runs of Harford.
 
Reed would surrender a walk to Correa, ending his outing. He gave up three runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk while striking out three.
 
Collincini replaced Reed for his second outing of the day. He gave up a single to the first batter he faced, Hunter Pearson, putting the tying runs on first and second. But Collincini buckled down and threw a fastball by Jeffrey Tabares for strike three ending the game. For Collincini, it was his third save of the season.
 
Anthony Atticks started the game and pitched three innings before reaching his pitch count. He gave up two earned runs, surrendering two hits and five walks while striking out four.
 
At the plate, Koski, Weeks and Smith each had a hit and a run batted-in. Castillo had two hits and scored a run. Brittain had a hit and scored two runs and Malehorn had a hit and a run.
 
Harford hits the road again on Tuesday when they travel to Prince George's for a conference tilt at 3 p.m.