GLASSBORO, NJ – The University of Maine-Presque Isle baseball team picked up its second win in three games on Tuesday, defeating Rowan (NJ) University, 3-1.
The Owls improve to 4-11 while the Profs are now at 11-7 on the year . Right-hander Andrew Carter (So./Carlo, NB, Canada) pitched a complete game for the win. Carter (1-1) only allowed three hits and one earned run in 9 innings of work. He struck out five. Righty Brian Sietsma was saddled with the loss. In two innings of relief, Sietsma (0-2) gave up one hit and two earned runs.
The game was a pitcher's duel through six innings between Carter and Prof's starter Mike Behar. Rowan got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning when Nick Kreiger scored on a wild pitch. That was it for scoring until the Owls evened things up in the top of the 7th.
Designated hitter Tanner Marshall (Fr./Cleburne, TX) got things going with a single. Daniel Lewis (Jr./Gardner Mines, Nova Scotia) followed by reaching on a fielder's choice with Marshall moving to second on the play. After an Alex Csiernik (Jr./Hamilton, Ontario) sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring position with one out, Cam Morrell (Jr./Harpswell, ME) provided an RBI groundout to tie the game, 1-1.
The score remained knotted until the 9th. In the top half, Owls' 1B Carlos Villoria (Sr./Caracas, Venezuela) continued his torrid hitting by leading off with a double. Marshall was hit by a pitch to put two on. An out and a walk later and Presque Isle had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded and only one down. That is when Morrell (Jr./Harpswell, ME) once again delivered with an RBI single to centerfield. An error on the play allowed a second run to score and the Owls were up 3-1.
Carter came out to pitch the ninth, allowed two batters to reach base with one out, but was able to coax a pop up to first and a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the rally and secure the win.
The Owls will go for two in a row on Wednesday when they play at Eastern (PA) University at 3pm.
Game Notes
* The complete game was the first in the UMPI career for Carter. It was the 4th complete game thrown by an Owl pitcher this season but first in a 9-inning game.
* With his 3-4 performance at the plate, Villoria has hits in 7 of his last 8 at bats and 14 of his last 22 in a stretch of six games. He is now hitting .424 on the season. He leads the Owls in batting average, hits (25), doubles (6), and RBI (10).
* Shane Smith (Jr./Farmington, ME) stole second base in the top of the third inning of Tuesday's ballgame. Smith now has three base swipes on the season. He has yet to be caught stealing.
* Csiernik drew a walk for the 7th time in the 11 games he's played this season, good enough to lead the team. He also has struck out a team low 2 times (for players seeing action in 6 or more games this season.) That plate discipline has led to the catcher sporting a .400 on-base percentage.