Myrtle Beach, SC- The Coast Guard Academy baseball team started off their spring break trip with a bang by sweeping the University of Hartford in a double header at the Polo Grounds Field in Myrtle Beach. With the two losses, the Hawks fall to 3-3 overall this season.

Game one of the double header was a classic pitcher's duel. The score was 0-0 after two and 1-0 in favor of Hartford after five with pitchers John Dooley and RJ Priddy both dealing. The Bears needed a spark on offense and in the 6th they got one from second baseman Wyatt Duthu. The junior from Madison, Alabama led off the inning with an infield single and proceeded to steal second on the next pitch. Freshman Carson Cho scored Duthu and recorded his first career hit with a game tying RBI double. Two batters later, Rick Barkley gave the Bears the lead with a two run opposite field home run. 

In the top of the 7th, Tyler Michalek shut the doors with a 1-2-3 inning including two strikeouts to notch his first career save. Last year's NEWMAC Rookie of the Year RJ Priddy earned the win in his first outing of the season. His line: 6 IP, 3 K's, 5 H, and just 1 R. 

It would not take the Bears bats nearly as long to get hot in game two of the twin bill...

With two outs in the 1st inning, Rick Barkley hit his second opposite field homer of the day, this time a three run shot. Jack Steel hit a two run homer of his own in the 3rd to extend the lead to 8-0. The Bears scored in every inning but the 6th and blanked the Hawks for a 16-0 victory. Luke Percifield added three runs and stole two bases while playing stellar defense in game two.

After not shutting out any team last season, CGA's Vito Giordano and Jack Gausselin combined to give up zero runs and shut out Hartford. The victory for Giordano was the first of his career.

Coast Guard will face New England College in a double header tomorrow at Griffith Field in Myrtle Beach at 3:30 and 6:30.