BC Essex Falls on Walk-Off Against College of Southern Maryland

La Plata, MD – A walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning sealed a heartbreaking 4-3 loss for CCBC Essex against the College of Southern Maryland Hawks on Tuesday.

The game was tied at three when Waldy Reyes delivered a base hit to center field, scoring Mason McReynolds to end the contest.

CCBC Essex struck first in the opening frame. Sophomore Justin Cook (Bradenton, FL / Manatee HS) drove in a run with a lineout to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.

An error in the bottom of the fourth allowed the Hawks to even the score, and a double from Tyree Claxton in the fifth put CSM ahead 2-1.

The Knights responded in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Rafael Castillo (Queens, NY / High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture) laid down a sacrifice bunt, and a defensive miscue by the Hawks allowed two runs to cross the plate, giving CCBC Essex a 3-2 edge.

But CSM would not go quietly. In the bottom of the seventh, McReynolds walked and Reyes followed with the game-winning single.

Sophomore Mitchell Bayles (Richmond, VA / Glen Allen HS) got the start for Essex, tossing six strong innings. He allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned), striking out seven and walking two. CSM's Reynolds went the distance, surrendering three runs (two earned) on seven hits, with three strikeouts and no walks.

Offensively, Cook and sophomore Eduardo Zayas (Cidra, PR / Bilingual Education School at Cidra) led the charge with two hits apiece while batting back-to-back in the order. Castillo also contributed with an RBI. CCBC Essex turned a double play defensively in the effort.

Reyes and Rayden Deets each tallied two hits for the Hawks. Claxton, Reyes, and McReynolds all knocked in runs.

CCBC Essex looks to bounce back in their next matchup as they near the final stretch of the regular season.