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Sports

Eagles Avoid Sweep, Beat Salisbury 7-6

Herringshaw's walk-off, two-run single propels Eagles to victory

In a sport like baseball, one, two, even five games don't make or break a season. That being said, rebounding from a tough stretch is often what separates average ball clubs from good ones. So, after dropping a doubleheader to Salisbury yesterday by a combined tally of 27-3, the University of Mary Washington Baseball team salvaged the series by defeating the Seagulls 7-6 in thrilling fashion Sunday afternoon.

"Yesterday was not what we were looking for," remarked Eagles' head coach Tom Sheridan. "It was one of those days where 'that's baseball'. Everything that could go wrong, sort of did go wrong, and the wheels came off a little bit. When you take a drubbing like that, you could just come out the next day and concede the game. Our guys were out here this morning taking some extra hitting, and doing all of sorts of stuff, and they choose to play with a lot of heart. I'm really proud of them."

Senior Parker Talbert started on the hill for the Eagles, and looked impressive in the early going, mixing his pitches up well.

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"That's what he does," agreed Sheridan. "Put a little on it, take a little off; up and down a lot of breaking stuff. That's just the way he pitches."

The Eagles jumped ahead early, utilizing situational hitting and good strategy to a tee. In the third frame, already ahead 2-0, Seth Jordan singled home Eric Rehbein with a two-out single. With runners on first and third, the Eagles opted to have Jordan steal second and hang himself up in a rundown. The runner on third, Jackson Clement, broke for home on the catcher's throw, and Jordan stayed alive long enough for the run to count.

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Up 4-1 in the seventh, the Eagles faltered, giving up five runs on five hits and a error. Ryan Engleking relieved Talbert, and finished out the remaining three innings only allowing one earned run.

The Eagles tacked on one in the bottom half, but were still trailing 6-5 heading into the bottom half of the ninth and final frame.

With one out, Jackson Clement singled, giving the home patrons some hope. Jeff Reizach followed up with a walk. The next batter, Seth Jordan, hit a hard groundball in the hole to the shortstop, who wheeled and fired to second base. Reizach was clearly safe on the force, but umpires are human too, and the Eagles were down to their last out.

At this point, Sheridan went to his bench, pinch-running Jeff Ziesler for Jordan. With runners on the corners, Santino Rosanova was drilled with a fastball, loading the bases for freshman left fielder Mitchell Herringshaw.

Herringshaw squared up a Drew Baldwin offering and drove it to center field. Seagulls' center fielder Bill Root came up shooting, but with two outs, the winning run (Ziesler) crossed the plate for the winning run. The Eagles erupted off the bench and mobbed Herringshaw in celebration.

With the win, Mary Washington improves to 12-3 and 4-2 in CAC play. The Eagles will be back in action Thursday when they travel to Wesley College. 

W- Engelking (UMW)

L-Baldwin (Salsbury)

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