SALISBURY, Md.—The Hobart baseball team lost to No. 8 Sailsbury, but bounced back with a win over No. 14 Mount Union during Day 2 of the NCAA Division III Baseball Regional at Williams Stadium. The Statesmen dropped an 11-6 decision to the host Sea Gulls but closed the day with a decisive 10-1 victory over the Purple Raiders.
GAME 4: No. 8 Salisbury 11, Hobart 6
In the first game against Salisbury, Hobart managed to score six runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but an early six-run third inning from the Sea Gulls proved decisive. Salisbury opened the scoring in the first inning on an RBI triple by Jay Newton. They added another run in the second inning when Max Ehrhardt scored on a groundout, extending their lead to 2-0.
The third inning saw the Sea Gulls break the game open with six runs. Trent Waire capped the inning with a two-RBI single, leading to an 8-0 advantage after three innings.
Hobart responded in the fifth inning when sophomore
Aidan Davenport walked and later scored on a ground-rule double by first-year
Jack O'Neil. Junior
Sean Garvin followed with a two-run single, narrowing the gap to 8-3. The Statesmen continued their momentum, adding three more runs in the sixth on junior
Jack Byrnes three-run homer to bring the score to 8-6.
However, Salisbury (34-9) countered in the eighth inning with three more runs to finish off the win.
Teck Nash took the mound for Hobart, pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits.
Chris Lockwood and
Max Friedlander contributed from the bullpen. O'Neil stood out with three hits, while junior
Cole Conte and Byrnes both delivered two hits.
GAME 5: Hobart 10, Mount Union 1
In the second game against Mount Union, Hobart rebounded with a commanding 10-1 victory. The Statesmen blasted four home runs, two triples and two doubles, while their pitching staff allowed just one run over nine innings.
Davenport got the scoring started in the second inning with an RBI triple. Garvin extended the lead in the third inning with a solo home run, followed by homers from Byrnes and sophomore
Jack Farnen in the fourth, increasing the score to 4-0. The fifth inning saw Hobart break the game open, scoring five runs, including a three-run homer from Garvin, bringing the score to 9-0.
Hobart added one more run in the seventh inning when Byrnes hit a leadoff double, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Farnen. Mount Union managed to score a single run in the ninth, but that was it for the Purple Raiders (32-12).
Junior
Trevor Kimball delivered a stellar performance on the mound, pitching eight innings with no walks and allowing just one earned run while striking out seven. Sophomore
Collin Goff recorded the final three outs on the mound.
Garvin and Farnen both delivered four RBIs. Garvin was 3-for-4 and scored twice. Farnen was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Byrnes also delivered two hits and scored three times.
The Statesmen (32-14) will face Salisbury for the regional championship beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 17. Hobart will need to beat the Sea Gulls twice to keep their national championship hopes alive.
