Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SUMTER, S.C. – The Harford Baseball team split a doubleheader with USC Sumter to open the season. The Fighting Owls exploded for 13 runs to win game one but were shutout in game two.
Harford 13, USC Sumter 3The Fighting Owls (1-1) rallied for three or more runs in four of the seven innings played in the season opener. Head coach
Tom Eller has raved about the potential of this year's team possibly being better offensively than last year's team that topped the nation multiple offensive categories. If today was any indicator of what's to come, Eller's estimation could be right on target.
After going down in order in the first two innings, Harford scored four runs in the third inning to erase a three-run deficit. Freshman
Joe Burton took a hit by pitch and a walk, respectively, with the bases loaded to get the Fighting Owls on the board. Sophomore
Daulton Weeks' bid for a grand slam came up just a couple feet short as he jumped on a first pitch fastball and drove it off the wall down the left field line. He settled for a two-run double.
In the fourth inning, Harford struck again with two outs. After a pair of walks, sophomore
Jack Hamner hit a line drive that landed just inside the left field line to plate two runs and chase the starter from the game. Sophomore
Chase DeMars greeted the reliever with an RBI triple over the centerfielder's head to put Harford up 7-3.
Harford continued to pour it on in the fifth, getting the first five batters on and scoring three more runs. Weeks and sophomore
Dominic DiSabatino sandwiched singles around sophomore
John Mastrangelo's walk. DiSabatino's single drove in Weeks and was followed by a two-run double by sophomore
Ben Bomberger, making it 10-3.
Harford pushed the lead to 13-3 in the seventh inning on a bases-clearing double by DeMars. DeMars finished the game going 2-for-4 with four runs batted.
Sophomore
Josh Silvestri threw six strong innings giving up three earned on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. All three runs came in the first inning where he was betrayed by his defense, who committed a pair of errors, and surrendered a solo home run to Derrick Parnell.
Harford 0, USC Sumter 4The Fighting Owls struggled to get anything going offensively in game two, only managing three hits in the ballgame. Their best chance of scoring came in the first inning when they got the first two batters on base but were unable to push anything across as the heart of order combined for a pair of fielder's choice groundouts and a pop out to center.
DeMars doubled to lead off the third and moved to third on a long fly ball by DiSabatino. But again, Harford hitters were unable to take advantage.
Harford struggled on the mound as well, giving up 10 walks in the game. The Fighting Owls will play another two-game set with the Fire Ants Sunday. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 10 a.m.
