WALDORF, Md. (May 13, 2022)—The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs improved to a 16-3 record thanks to an 8-2 win on Friday night. A majority of the match was a pitcher's duel, before the Crabs broke the game open late against the Charleston Dirty Birds. Southern Maryland's pitching staff was dominant once more, as their collective ERA dipped under 3.00 on the season.
McKenzie Mills (W, 2-0) got the start for Southern Maryland, and dealt six innings of one run baseball while fanning six batters. The Dirty Birds put Derrick Adams (L, 1-1) on the hill, and after setting down each of the first eleven batters he faced, the Crabs' bats woke up.
In the bottom of the fourth, Jared Walker launched a two-out triple to right-center field to break up a perfect game. David Harris followed by driving in the first run of the ballgame on an RBI double. Next, Alex Crosby traded places with Harris, giving Southern Maryland a 2-0 lead through four innings.
Charleston shaved the lead to one run in the sixth inning with a Scott Burcham solo homer, but the Crabs fought back. Southern Maryland added a pair in the seventh inning before Zach Collier broke the game open in the eighth. With no outs and the bases juiced, the center fielder blasted the first Blue Crabs grand slam of the season, securing an 8-2 victory.
Southern Maryland sits comfortably in first place thanks to their best start in franchise history, and will put Daryl Thompson on the mound on Saturday, looking to lock down another series win.
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