The AACC Pioneers beat the Garrett College Lakers in the first game of a baseball doubleheader by a final score of 1-0 on March 28.

It was a cold, windy, and overcast day. The AACC baseball team came into the game on a 3-game losing streak. Starting the game on the mound for AACC was Sophomore Kevin Fitzmaurice.

Fitzmaurice dominated the Lakers, throwing a complete game shutout and striking out seven batters. Only three base-runners for the Lakers got to second base. Fitzmaurice talked about how he kept batters off balance after the game.

“I started the game, I felt good, I felt like I was throwing hard so I was throwing fastballs and I got through the lineup the first time and nothing happened,” Fitzmaurice said. “So I was just like, ‘I’m gonna throw fastballs all day.’ And then towards the end they started learning that, so then you start throwing other pitches.”

The Pioneers had opportunities to score early in the game. They loaded the bases in both the first and second innings but just couldn’t get that key hit to drive in a run.

The only run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Jacob Donaldson drew a walk with one out and then stole second base. Two batters later, freshman catcher Kyle Brandt hit an easy ground ball to the shortstop that looked like it would end the inning but Brandt was called safe when the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag. Believing the inning was over, the Lakers players started to walk off the field, until they realized that Brandt was called safe. In the confusion, Donaldson rounded third base and came home for the only run of the game.

The Pioneers would drop game two of the double-header in a similar fashion, losing 1-0, in another pitchers dual.