In a dominant performance on Friday night the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs won 11–1 against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars at Meritus Park. The Blue Crabs’ offense was relentless, while their pitching staff kept the Flying Boxcars’ bats in check.
Pearce Howard led the Blue Crabs’ offense with a 3-for-5 performance, including a triple and a two-run blast to right field to start the scoring in the second inning. Ethan Wilson contributed with a towering blast to right field in the fourth inning, after Jackson Loftin plated Sam Dexter on fielder’s choice right before. John Taylor added two hits and an RBI single in the fifth inning. Later in the fifth, Ryan McCarthy, as part of a three-hit night, singled home Howard who hit a two out triple. It made the score 7-1 Crabs. Howard was a double shy of the cycle for the evening.
For the Flying Boxcars, Jesus Lujano provided the lone highlight, hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning. Southern Maryland added four more runs in the seventh to make the game a route. Alejandro De Aza earned a walk with the bases loaded plating a run, then Dondrei Hubbard singled home a run, followed by Giovanni Digiacomo hitting a sac fly for an RBI, it made it 11-1 Crabs.
Andrew Thurman earned the win for Southern Maryland, allowing one run on four hits over five innings, striking out six. It is Thurman’s first professional win since 2017. Maceo Campbell and Cael Chatham combined for four scoreless innings in relief, preserving the lead and securing the victory.
Hagerstown’s starter, Jorge Martinez, took the loss, surrendering six runs on eight hits over four innings. The bullpen struggled, with Jack Maruskin allowing four runs in just 0.1 innings.
Southern Maryland gets back over the .500 mark standing at 12-11 after the win, as the Black-Eyed Brawl continues Saturday Night at 6:30pm in Hagerstown.
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