(May 14, 2025 – Waldorf, Md.): The York Revolution entered the day with the Atlantic League’s top scoring offense and top batting average as a team but were held in check in a pair of low-scoring defeats, falling 3-0 and 3-2 to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in Wednesday’s doubleheader in front of 5,213 fans at Regency Furniture Stadium.
York was held without a hit through the first 4.1 innings of the day by Blue Crabs starter Shawn Semple (3-0). The right-hander retired 11 straight after a game-opening leadoff walk and did not surrender a hit until Jeffrey Wehler’s fifth inning double which was immediately followed by an inning-ending line drive double play.
Revs starter Matt Walker (0-1) turned in another strong start but fell behind early as two-hole hitter John Taylor yanked a line drive homer to right on the first pitch he saw.
Walker faced a bases loaded, no-out jam in the second after three singles including a pair of seeing-eye grounders, but escaped trouble with a line out and an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Southern Maryland did not get to Walker again until the fifth inning when they played small ball to do so. Sam Dexter led off the inning with a bunt hit and took second when third baseman Brandon Lewis’ throw sailed wide on his charging barehanded attempt. Ryan McCarthy advanced Dexter with a sacrifice bunt, and Jackson Loftin lined an RBI single to left to increase the lead to 2-0.
Walker was touched once more on his next-to-last hitter of the day when Gio Digiacomo connected on an opposite field solo homer to left center with two outs in the sixth for Southern Maryland’s third run, as Walker tossed a second consecutive “quality start” but was dealt the complete game loss.
The Revs began to consistently make loud contact against Semple as Marty Costes doubled off the left field wall with two outs in the sixth but was stranded.
Lewis singled and Alerick Soularie hammered a double off the left center fence to start the seventh, chasing Semple as a potential comeback began to materialize. Crabs closer Jimmie Sherfy had other ideas, quickly notching the first two outs on a strikeout and a foul pop up. Michael Berglund walked to load the bases, but Sherfy induced one more foul pop up for the final out, posting his fifth save.
Things started off in similar fashion in game two as Crabs starter Ian Kahaloa struck out five Revs over the first two innings and Southern Maryland nabbed an early lead.
Ethan Wilson kept the home half of the first inning alive by legging out an attempted double play turn and scored as Alejandro De Aza drove a two-out double to the gap in right center for a 1-0 lead.
York evened things in the third, loading the bases with one out before Alerick Soularie lined a sac fly to left for a 1-1 tie, but Kahaloa escaped further trouble, stranding a pair.
Revs starter Foster Pace gained rhythm with a perfect second inning, and nearly recorded a three-pitch third inning had a check swing infield single not kept things alive.
De Aza was front and center as the Crabs retook the lead in the fourth, setting the table on his leadoff bunt single. After a single by Pearce Howard put two men aboard, De Aza tagged and raced to third on a fly out to center, putting him in position to score on Brett Barrera’s sac fly to left on which left fielder Justin Connell made a diving, tumbling grab.
Down 2-1, the Revs again tied the score in the fifth, this time on three consecutive singles to start the inning. Frankie Tostado rifled an RBI single back up the middle to square things at 2-2, but Kahaloa rebounded to set down the next three as the Revs were again left wanting.
Pace closed his day with a four-pitch fifth inning, allowing just two runs in the no decision. He walked none and struck out five.
De Aza was the culprit one more time in the sixth, working a leadoff walk from York reliever Ian Churchill (1-1) before scoring on pinch hitter Jamari Baylor’s double to left center for the decisive run.
York threatened in the seventh as Tostado drilled his second double of the game to right field with one out, and Soularie worked a two-out walk. A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third, but Cody Thompson finished his third professional save, retiring William Simoneit on a fly out to deep center to end it.
Notes: The Revs fall to 11-6, still tied for the best 17-game start in franchise history (2016). York’s North Division lead shrinks to 1.5 games over Long Island and Staten Island, while the Revs are one game behind Lexington and High Point for the league’s best overall record. The defeats are their first two road losses of the year after a 6-0 road start. It is just their second set of back-to-back losses on the season as they entered the day on a four-game winning streak. Southern Maryland remains hot, having won 10 of 12 after an 0-5 start. York suffers a series loss for just the second time in six series this season. The Revs’ shutout loss in the opener was their first shutout defeat since a rain-shortened six-inning loss vs Staten Island on May 25, 2024. It is their first shutout loss in a game of longer than six innings since the 2024 season opener. York entered the day with a league best .287 team average and a league-high 105 runs scored (7.0 runs per game). They had only been held to a season-low two runs twice in their first 15 games. York left 10 runners on base in the second game and went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, after going 0-for-7 in the opener.
Up Next: York will look to salvage its series finale in Southern Maryland on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. as RHP Wes Scott (1-1, 4.50) faces Crabs righty Andrew Thurman (0-1, 11.32). Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 98.9 FM & 1350 WOYK, 989woyk.com, The New WOYK app, and FloBaseball.TV beginning at 6:15 p.m.
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