BALTIMORE--Senior Tom Meaney (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem) launched his seventh home run of the season in the first game and senior Shawn Retz (Baltimore, Md./Western Tech/Catonsville C.C.) hit his eighth of the year in the second game to power the UMBC baseball team to two victories over Hartford, 10-5 and 7-4, respectively, on Saturday. With the wins, UMBC improves to 8-26 on the season and 3-11 in America East play.
 
In the bottom of the second with the bases loaded, UMBC scored three runs on a ball hit sharply to third by sophomore Casey Medairy (Elkridge, Md./Howard). Meaney scored on the single and freshmen Max Himmelstein (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) and Justin Lamborn (Glen Mills, Pa./Garnett Valley) scored on the errant throw to first.
 
Meaney hit a long shot over the center-field fence in the third, scoring fellow seniors Wink Nolan (Ellicott City, Md./Calvert Hall/Maryland) and Retz to give the Retrievers a 6-0 lead. UMBC scored two in the fourth, but the Hawks responded with two of their own.
 
UMBC added two more in the bottom of the sixth, with Medairy leading off the inning with a single. He moved to second on a senior Brad Brainer (Chester, Md./Kent Island/Chesapeake JC) sacrifice bunt and third on a wild pitch, before scoring on a Nolan single to center. Retz hit a hard liner down the left field line for a double and after an intentional walk to Meaney, Himmelstein walked to score Nolan to conclude the scoring for the Retrievers.
 
Junior starter Ed Bach (Columbia, Md./Atholton) (1-8) pitched a complete game for the win, scattering nine hits over seven innings. Hartford starter Ben Sobocinski (1-3) took the loss, allowing 10 runs, eight earned, in 5 and 1/3 innings pitched.
 
In the second game, Hartford opened the scoring in the first when Brady Stouffer scored on a sacrifice fly, but the Retrievers scored four in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a two-run bomb by Retz. The Retrievers then had back-to-back-to-back doubles by Meaney, Himmelstein and Lamborn to add two more runs.
 
UMBC extended its lead to four when Meaney doubled to lead off the inning before moving to third on a Himmelstein single and scored on a wild pitch.
 
Sophomore starter Austin Drewyer (Ellicott City, Md./River Hill) (2-3) pitched 6 and 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) to earn the win, while Hartford's starter Weston Szymanski pitched 6 and 1/3 innings as well, allowing seven runs. Sophomore Travis Pearson (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) pitched 2 and 2/3 innings to earn the save.
 
The two teams conclude the four-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 2:30. An audio webcast of both games from Saturday will be broadcast on taped delay at Herb FM on live365.com. For more information, please visit Herb FM's site.