(8/3/2022, Waldorf, MD) The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs took game two of the series over the Charleston Dirty Birds on Wednesday night. The Blue Crabs bats came alive tonight, while Alex Merithew pitched seven innings, allowing only two earned runs.
The Blue Crabs got the offense going in the first inning. Jack Sundberg picked up a base hit to start the inning before Michael Wielansky blasted a two-run home run over the wall in left field. In the second inning, Southern Maryland kept the offense going. With runners on second and third, Ryan Haug pulled a double down the line, scoring two to give the Blue Crabs a 4-0 lead. Jack Sundberg bounced a single up the middle later in the inning, scoring Haug to put Southern Maryland ahead 5-0.
The Dirty Birds got a run back in the top of the fourth, while the Blue Crabs responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Jack Sundberg lifted a ball into left field, scoring Lee to give the Blue Crabs a 6-1 lead.
The Blue Crabs and Dirty Birds exchanged home runs in the sixth, while Southern Maryland added an additional run, giving the Blue Crabs an 8-2 advantage.
Merithew remained on the mound to start the eighth inning, allowing only one earned run across the first seven innings. On the first batter of the inning, Edwin Espinal smashed a solo home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 8-3. Merithew ultimately went seven-plus innings, allowing two earned runs on eight hits and one walk.
Jack Sundberg added four hits in tonight’s ballgame, doubling to right field in the eighth, scoring Jared Walker to give the Blue Crabs a 9-3 lead.
Patrick Baker pitched the last two innings, allowing no runs on two hits to secure the 9-3 win. With the victory, the Blue Crabs move to 63-28 overall, and 15-10 in the second half. Southern Maryland returns home for game three of the series tomorrow night at 6:35 pm.