HAGERSTOWN, Md. – The Towson University baseball team started a series against UMES with a doubleheader on Saturday at Meritus Park in Hagerstown, Md.
 
In the first game, the Tigers (2-2) used five-run frames in the second and seventh innings for a 10-0 victory in seven innings vs. UMES (0-5).
 
Key Stats (Game 1)

• Towson starter Max Simpson (1-1) earned his first win of the season, tossing 6.0 shutout innings with four hits and one walk allowed. The senior struck out three and hit one batter.
• UMES starter Jonah Stepner (0-2) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on five hits and four walks in four innings pitched. He struck out four and hit one batter.
• Towson outhit UMES 9-4 with Casey Bishop and Nich Francuzenko each picking up two hits.

 
How it Happened (Game 1)

• With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Bishop plated two on a double down the left field line. Brett Ahalt's RBI groundout to follow extended the Tigers' lead, advancing Bishop to third. Moments later, Jordan Peyton hit an RBI single to center field to extend the lead. Francuzenko's RBI double on the next at-bat capped a five-run frame for the Tigers.
• Simpson stranded two runners on base in the fifth inning, the most traffic he left on base in his outing.
• Josh Janove started the scoring for the Tigers in the seventh inning with a bases-loaded walk. Two more back-to-back walks from Brady Nathison and Ethan Brand plated two more Towson runs. Bishop hit a two-run single to left field to push Towson's lead to ten.
• With another game on deck, the team's agreed to a run-rule decision in seven innings, giving Towson the series-opening win.

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Inside the Numbers (Game 1)

• Bishop's four RBI's are his most in a game since April 21, 2023 vs. Monmouth, where he finished with five runs batted in.
• Francuzenko had his first multi-hit game of the season in game one of the doubleheader and has started the season on a four-game hitting streak.

 
The Tigers squandered a five-run first inning lead, allowing UMES to tie it at five through three innings. The Hawks took the lead in the fourth and went on to win, 14-7.
 
Key Stats (Game 2)

• Towson reliever Ben Nugent (0-1) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on two walks. Nugent added two strikeouts.
• UMES reliever Hunter Allen (1-1) picked up the win, allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks allowed. Allen struck out four. Wilfredo Morales (1) picked up the save, tossing four shutout innings with four walks allowed. Morales struck out five.

 
How it Happened (Game2)

• With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Taye Robinson walked to bring home the first Tiger run. A balk and wild pitch moments later plated the next two for the Black & Gold. Robinson scored on a double steal with runners on the corners before Bishop walked with the bases loaded later in the frame to give Towson a 5-0 lead.
• Ryan Davis of UMES hit a solo home run in the top of the second to give the Hawks their first run of the day.
• In the top of the third, a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly cut Towson's lead to two. An RBI single and bases loaded walk later in the frame tied the game at five.
• The Hawks scored five runs on three hits in the top of the fourth, including back-to-back RBI hits from Aponte and Davis, to take a 10-5 lead.
• Following Peyton's triple in the bottom of the fourth, Francuzenko's RBI single to center brought another Tiger run home. Cole Stefano's RBI groundout later in the frame cut the deficit to three.
• An RBI double in the next frame pushed UMES' lead to four at 11-7.
• A two-run homer and RBI double in the top of the seventh extended the UMES lead to 14-7.
• The Tigers went scoreless over the final three frames to fall 14-7 at Meritus Park in Hagerstown, Md.

 
On Deck:
The Tigers host UMBC in their home opener on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at John B. Schuerholz Park.