Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WYE MILLS, Md. - The No. 20 Harford baseball team (41-8, 24-1 MD JUCO) clinched the 2016 MD JUCO Championship with a Friday sweep of Chesapeake. The Fighting Owls ran away with the opener, 17-0, before holding off a late Skipjack rally to win game two, 3-2.
The Fighting Owl starting pitching again was dominant in key conference and region contests.
Michael Adams (9-0) tied the single-season record with his ninth win in the opener. The righthander went the distance for the second-straight contest, this time tossing a two-hit shutout. Adams lowered his team-leading ERA to 1.53, a total that ranks second in the league.Â
In game two,
Michael Devecchio (6-2) allowed one earned run while striking out nine in six innings. Clinging to a 3-2 lead in the bottom fo the seventh, head coach
Tom Eller called upon
TJ Pagan for the save. After two pitches, the Skipjacks were down to their final out, but started a rally. Pagan walked the third batter of the inning and gave up a single to put runners at the corners. The sophomore closer hit the next batter but struck out Devynn Hancock with the bases loaded to end the threat.
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A three-run fourth inning was all Devecchio needed.
Dominic DiSabatino singled to leadoff the frame and
Daulton Weeks worked a two-out walk.
Luke Johnson smoked a double to left field, plating the Harford shortstop and
JP Vail singled in Weeks and Johnson for a 3-1 lead.Â
In game one,
Chase DeMars started a home run parade as four mashers continued the Fighting Owl assault on baseballs. DeMars hit a two-run shot in the first inning, his 12th of the year and
Ben Bomberger led off the second with his 12 career long ball. Weeks set the Harford single-season home run record with his 15th of the season and 20th of his career.
Dominic DiSabatino's sixth inning grand slam helped put the game out of reach, his school record 22nd career homer. Harford has 95 home runs this season, third in the nation.
The Fighting Owls host Lehigh Carbon on Saturday at 11 a.m. The game will be broadcast by Harford Cable Network for a tape-delay airing to be determined. It is also Hit Pitch & Run Day in the morning. Show up early to the Harford Sports Complex.
