Murfreesboro, N.C. (Feb. 18, 2018) – The Molloy baseball team split its doubleheader with the Chowan Hawks Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field. Chowan won the first game, 13-6, and Molloy won the second game, 5-4. The Lions improved to 1-2 on the season.
Game One: Molloy 6, Chowan 13
The Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame on a two-run double from Robert Williams.
With one out in the fifth, sophomores
Jake Saltzman and
Sean Hogan recorded back-to-back singles. With two outs, senior
Elijah Leerdam walked to load the bases. With the bases full, freshman
Matt Overton walked to bring in a run and make it a 2-1 game. The game was tied on a balk, and senior
Jack McCarty reached on a fielder's choice to give the Lions a 3-2 advantage.
The Hawks plated seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 9-3.
The home team brought in four runs in the sixth to increase its lead to 13-3.
Molloy rallied in the top of the seventh. With the bases full, Overton, who logged two RBIs, walked to bring in a run. McCarty, who registered two RBIs, reached on a fielder's choice to cut the advantage to 13-5. Later in the frame, junior
Michael Wall collected an RBI single to make it a 13-6 game. But that was as close as the visitors would get in the first game.
Graduate student
C.J. Schildt threw four innings allowing three runs on two hits and struck out four batters in a no-decision.
Game Two: Molloy 5, Chowan 4
The Lions used a five-run sixth inning to win the second game.
Chowan plated two runs in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Leerdam singled through the left side to score Saltzman. With the bases loaded, Wall drilled a two-RBI single through the left side to put the maroon and white ahead 3-2. Junior
Ryan Hensley hit a two-RBI double to left-center to increase Molloy's lead to 5-2.
The Hawks tallied two runs in the sixth to make it a 5-4 game.
Junior
Lucas Burton struck out three batters in two innings pitched to collect his first save of the season.
Senior
Kevin Hiss gave up two runs on four hits and recorded seven strikeouts in five innings to pick up his first win of the season.
Molloy returns to action Friday, Feb. 23, when it plays Concordia College at the Northeast Challenge. First pitch with the Clippers is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
