Hirschbaum Notches Career-Bests of Four Hits, Three Runs and Three RBI

WESTMINSTER, Md. – Visiting Washington College jumped out to a 9-0 lead and held off a furious McDaniel rally to post an 11-7 victory at Preston Field in a Centennial Conference baseball game on Thursday afternoon.  The Shoremen improve to 12-4 overall and are 4-0 in the Centennial Conference, while the Green Terror fall to 8-8 and 1-3 respectively. 

The Shoremen are 4-0 in conference action for the first time since 1998 and for the third time in program history as the 1994 team also started conference action at 4-0.

The Shoremen wasted no time at the plate by scoring six times in the top of the first inning.  Sophomore Evan Hirschbaum (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) singled through the left side to score both senior Brian Alexa (Silver Spring, N.J./Good Counsel) for the game's first run with nobody out.  Two batters later with one away, junior Garrett Richardello (Coventry, Conn./East Catholic) served a two-run single to right field to plate both freshman Joe Lozupone (Olney, Md./Good Counsel) and sophomore Logan Dubbé (Glenelg, Md./Glenelg) to give Washington a 3-0 lead.  Hirschbaum made it 4-0 when he scored on a fielder's choice and on the same play Richardello came around to score on a McDaniel throwing error for the frame's fifth run.  The scoring in the inning was capped on a single through the right side with two away by sophomore Charlie Meder (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) that knock in freshman Wes Robertson (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire).

WC scored once in the top of the second to lead 7-0 on a one-out sacrifice fly by freshman Ryan Donnelly (Novi, Mich./Brother Rice) to send in Hirschbaum.  The guests tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the third to push its lead to 9-0 on a Hirschbaum base hit up the middle to score senior Kyle Mikula (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) and Meder. 

McDaniel would get onto the scoreboard with a run in the bottom half of the fourth to trim the Shoremen lead to 9-1 on a one out RBI groundout by Nick Valori that plated Marty Windisch and got a leadoff home run from Kasey Nelson in the last of the fifth to reduce the WC lead to 9-2.  The Green Terror got within 9-4 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Cameron Bahr scored on a single by Brandon Heyward with nobody out and Valori scored on a ground ball double play for the second run of the inning.

The hosts scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to reduce the nine-run lead to 9-7.  McDaniel would cut the Washington lead to 9-5 on a sacrifice fly with one away by Bahr to score Sean Sivo and on the next pitch Valori doubled to left to score Windisch to get the Green Terror within three.  The next hitter, Heyward socked a two-bagger to left to score Valori and make it 9-7.  Nelson represented the tying run, but he flew out on a full count pitch to left to end the inning.

The Shoremen would answer with two runs in the top of the eighth to take an 11-7 lead.  With one away, Donnelly connected on his second home run of the year on a blast to center to also drive in Hirschbaum to give the guests a four-run lead.  The Green Terror's last threat came in the bottom of the eighth when they got the first two on with nobody out, but could not score.  Washington freshman pitcher Mike Bartels (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) retired McDaniel in order in the last of the ninth to end the game.

Hirschbaum paced the 13-hit Washington attack with a 4-for-6 day at the dish with three runs scored and three RBI, all of which were career-highs.  Richardello went 3-for-5 with two RBI with his three hits matching his personal-best.  Donnelly drove in three runs for the third consecutive game for the Shoremen.  Alexa and Meder each had a pair of hits.  On the hill, freshman P.J. Mikulus (Plainview, N.Y./Chaminade) went the first five innings to record the win to improve to 2-0.  He gave up two runs on six hits, walking none and striking out six.

Bahr and Windisch each had three hits for the Green Terror as McDaniel pounded out 15 hits.  Windisch also scored a pair of runs for the hosts.  Heyward, Nelson and Valori had two hits apiece, while Valori had two RBI and two runs scored, while Heyward plated a pair.  On the mound, Michael Casper took the loss and drops to 1-1 as he lasted just 2 2/3 innings.

The Shoremen had three errors in the win, while the Green Terror had two.

This was the Shoremen's first true road game of the season as the team's previously scheduled three true road games were either postponed (Salisbury and Eastern) or moved to Washington College (Catholic) due to the weather.

Washington is back in action on Saturday afternoon with a 12:30 p.m. Centennial Conference home doubleheader against visiting Ursinus.