The University of Mary Washington baseball team used a pair of comebacks in taking a doubleheader from St. Mary's College, 3-2 in 14 innings and 7-4, on Saturday at Dickinson Stadium in both teams' Capital Athletic Conference openers. The Eagles improve to 11-7 on the year.
In the opener, the Seahawks jumped ahead with single runs in the first and second. Neither team would score until UMW tied the game with two runs in the sixth. Senior Seth Jordan led off with a double and scored as Jono Haught reached on an error. After haught reached second on a passed ball, sophomore T.J. Cretney singled home Haught to tie the score.
The game remained scoreless until the 14th inning, when the Eagles found the game winner. Sophomore Brendan jones led off with a single, and moved to second as Steve Ruggiere was hit by a pitch. Haught walked to load the bases, and freshman shortstop Cam Kostyack drove in the winning run with a single to center.
Jordan doubled twice to lead the Eagle offense, and Cretney and senior 3B Chad Anglin each had two singles. Senior Mike Straub pitched the first seven innings for the Eagles, allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Junior Jake Black gained the win with seven innings of scoreless two-hit relief, with one walk and four strikeouts. After the Eagles fell behind, St. Mary's had just three hits in the final 12 innings.
UMW again fell behind in game two, as the Seahawks scored three times in the second off freshman Bernard Mayflower, with two hits and an error. UMW began the comeback in the fourth, as Cretney led off with a double and moved to third on a bunt. Alex Bryant provided an RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
In the fifth, the Eagles regained the lead, as Jones hit a one-out double, and scored as Jordan doubled behind him. After Haught lined out, Kostyack reached on an error, plating Jordan, and moved all the way to third on the play. Cretney followed with a bunt single to score Kostyack, giving UMW a 4-3 lead.
The Seahawks tied the score in the sixth, as a two-out error and an RBI double tied the score at four. Freshman David Phillips came on for the final out of the frame, and would go on to gain the win, as the Eagles scored three times in the sixth.
Bryant doubled to lead off the inning, and James Sink followed with a single to move Bryant to third. Connor Lilley followed with an RBI single to plate Bryant, and Jordan then singled to score Sink. Haught then doubled to score pinch runner Yarnell and up the lead to 7-4.
Phillips induced three groundouts to secure the victory. He allowed one hit in 1.1 innings, with no walks or strikeouts. Mayflower allowed two earned runs on five hits in 5.2 innings, with one walk and one strikeout.
Jordan led the Eagles with three hits and two RBI, while Liller, Jones, and Cretney each had two hits.
The Eagles and Seahawks will cap their three-game series on Sunday at Dickinson Stadium at 1:00 p.m.