BEL AIR, Md. – The Harford baseball team split a doubleheader with Northampton (1-1) Sunday afternoon. The Fighting Owls (7-5) ran away with game two after falling to the visiting Spartans in game one in extras.
Max Joseph had a big day at the plate, driving in three runs in both games including his first home run of the season.
Harford 6, Northampton 7 (8)Northampton came back to tie the game in the sixth inning and won it in the eighth to stun the Fighting Owls in the opener. The Spartans used two singles and a pair of hit by pitches to knot the game up at six in the sixth inning.
Will Reed, who came on with the bases loaded and one out, came within a pitch of escaping the jam for the Fighting Owls. He struck out the first batter he faced but hit the next batter, forcing in the tying run for Northampton.
A couple defensive miscues would be the Fighting Owls' undoing in the eighth. Northampton second baseman Ryan Nazario led the inning off with a well-placed bunt single and advanced to second on an errant throw by
Daulton Weeks. Then with the Harford infield overplaying for a sacrifice bunt attempt, Nazario stole third before Reed could deliver a pitch. One out later, Aaron Gentry was able to find a hole, driving Nazario in for the eventual game-winning run.
Harford had a chance to retake the lead in the seventh after losing it in the sixth but were unable to capitalize. Weeks doubled to left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch with just one out in the inning. But the Fighting Owls were unable to push him across as
Dominic DiSabatino's fly out to right wasn't quite deep enough for Weeks to try to score and
Joe Burton struck out to end the threat.
Northampton, playing in their season opener, jumped on Harford starter
Josh Silvestri, plating four runs in the first inning. Harford would fall behind 5-1 before putting up a five-spot in the bottom of the second, highlighted by a three-run blast by Joseph. Joseph turned on a 1-0 pitch and launched it way over the blue monster in left. Harford capped the inning off by executing a double steal with
Ben Bomberger stealing second and
Jack Hamner timing his break perfectly to steal home, putting Harford up 6-5.
Silvestri pitched 3 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on four hits, four walks and two hit batters. The sophomore struck out four of the 21 batters he faced. Devecchio struck out three over 1 2/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits, a hit batter and no walks. Reed pitch two innings, allowing a run on three hits and a hit batter while striking out three.
TJ Pagan came on to pitch a perfect 2/3 of an inning with a strike out.
Harford 12, Northampton 2 (5) Game two looked like it would be a continuation of the tightly played game one before the Fighting Owl bats came to life in the fourth inning. With the game knotted at two, Harford scored five in the fourth and five more in the fifth to end the game early on the ten run rule.
Joseph started the hit parade for Harford, driving in two on a single up the middle. He plated a run earlier in the game with a bases loaded walk, giving him three RBI in both games. DiSabatino drove in two in the fourth as well, plating Bomberger and
Chase DeMars on a double to left field.
Hamner had the big hit in the fifth, driving in two on a single through the left side of the infield. He advanced to third on a double by
Toby Sponseller and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by DeMars. Weeks singled through the left side, plating Sponseller for the walk-off winner.
Anthony Apreda (1-0) went all five innings for Harford. He allowed two runs on four hits, two walks and two hit batters while striking out a pair.
Harford will be back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Baltimore to take on CCBC Essex. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
