Knights Sweep Owls, Fall to Lions

ROSEDALE, Md. -- CCBC Essex baseball used a patient approach at the plate, timely hitting and a commendable performance from freshman starter Devin Hadley on Monday to win 13-4 in the front end of a double header with Union County College.

Hadley (West Broward, Fla.) went four and a third innings, giving up four earned on seven hits. He struck out six while walking four in his first career college start.

"Devin Hadley pitched an outstanding game today," said Knights head coach Michael Carter. "As a freshman making his first collegiate start, he did well. He gave up an extra base hit to the first batter he faced and then gets the next three batters out. That's poise that we're looking for."

The Knights trailed 2-0 heading into the home half of the third, when freshman shortstop Luis Barranco (Charles W. Flanagan, Fla.) started the inning off with a single.

Freshman third baseman Kyle Gerdts (Felix Varela, Fla.) and freshman center fielder Anthony DiAmario (Jefferson, Va.) drew back-to-back one-out walks to load the bases. Two batters later, sophomore catcher Zachary Walsh (Digital Harbor) walked to bring in a run with two outs.

With the bases still packed, freshman designated hitter William Frazier III (C.D. Hylton, Va.) smacked a two-run single to put the Knights on top 3-2. Frazier would finish the game 1-for-3 with three RBI.

"What I told [the team] early is that it just takes one big inning," Carter said. "I think the clutch hit that Will Frazier got with the bases loaded was it."

After its three-run third – all with two outs – the Knights never looked back.

The fourth inning saw the Knights score five runs on just two hits.

Sophomore shortstop Charles Trentler (Eastern Technical) broke the game open with a two-run double and Walsh added an RBI ground out.

The Knights added three more runs in the fifth and a pair in the sixth.

Freshman reliever Jason Nunez (C.D. Hylton) pitched one and a third, recording two strikeouts without allowing a hit or run. Sophomore reliever Christian Vain (Dunbar) threw a perfect seventh to finish the game.

DiAmario led the Knights, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.

"Anthony [DiAmario's] game is to be a contact hitter and use his speed," Carter said. "He's going to be hitting in the top of the lineup, so he's going to come up a lot of times with runners on base. Today he come up with guys in scoring position and did what you want him to do."

Walsh finished the game 1-for-2 with three RBI and two walks.

Game Two
The Knights won the second game of the twin bill 2-1 in walk off fashion, as Walsh singled home the game-winner with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.

It was Walsh's only hit of the game, as he went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.

Prior to extra innings, both teams' runs came early in the game. Union scored in the top of the first and freshman left fielder Eduardo Colon plated a run for the Knights in the second.

Trentler took the mound for Essex and put in a stellar seven innings. He gave up one earned run on just two hits while striking out eight and walking five.

Sophomore reliever Thomas Fortman III (Digital Harbor) pitched a clean top half of the eighth – allowing one hit – to pick up the win.

Knights no match for Lions

DUNDALK, Md. -- CCBC Essex yesterday traveled to CCBC Dundalk where three fifth inning Lions runs were too much for the Knights to overcome in a 3-1 loss.

Walsh and Frazier III each went 2-for-4, with the former collecting a double and Essex's only RBI of the day.

The Knights left six runners on base and struck out 10 times.

The two teams will play again on April 7 at Essex.