URBANA, Ohio – Shepherd University (22-10, 13-3 MEC) had 34 hits on the day en route to a sweep of Urbana (7-21, 3-13 MEC) in MEC baseball doubleheader action at Urbana on Sunday. The Rams posted a 12-4 win in game one and added a 16-3 victory in the nightcap.
The Rams took a 2-0 lead in the first inning in game one on a two-run blast by senior first baseman Eddie Nottingham (Windsor Mill, Md./Mt. St. Joseph's/Catonsville CC).
Shepherd increased its lead to 5-0 with three runs in in the third behind a two-run double by junior catcher Christian Hamel (Pasadena, Md./IMG Academy) and a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Trenton Burgreen (Winchester, Va./Millbrook).
After Urbana got a run in the fourth Shepherd added three runs in the sixth to take a 9-1 lead. Nottingham hit another two-run homer and junior outfielder Brenton Doyle (Warrenton, Va./Kettle Run) added an RBI-double to key the rally.
The Rams added three runs in the sixth on a two-run blast by Doyle and an RBI-double by sophomore outfielder Jared Carr (Martinsburg, W.Va./St. James School).
Urbana completed the scoring with three runs in the seventh. Tyler Dellerman hit a two-run homer to highlight the rally.
Nottingham went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and four runs batted to pace the Rams. Carr added a 3-for-5 effort.
Junior pitcher Steve Bowley (Medford, N.J./Holy Cross Academy/Cumberland County) (7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 7 K, 0 BB) (6-1) earned the win for the Rams. Logan Fisher (5.1 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 K, 3 BB) (0-5) took the loss.
Nottingham went 4-for-5 with five runs scored and drove in a pair of runs scored to lead a 20-hit attack for the Rams in the nightcap win.
Junior outfielder Justin Smith (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg/Hagerstown CC) went 3-for-5 with five RBI and three runs scored and Carr added a 3-for-4 effort with three runs scored and a three-run blast. Doyle contributed a 2-for-3 performance with three runs scored and a two-run homer.
Junior pitcher Ryan Marketell (Webster, N.Y./Webster/Monroe CC) (5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 5 K, 2 BB) gained the win for the Rams. Hunter Cohee (1.1 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 0 K, 2 BB) took the loss for the Blue Knights.
The Rams return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Shippensburg for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.