Blue Crabs Shut Out The Long Island Ducks In Home Opener

WALDORF, Md. — The last time the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs played a home game was Sept. 19, 2019 — 623 days ago. The Regency Furniture Stadium has still seen use since then, serving as a mass vaccination center in Charles County.

But after a 7-0 win in front of almost 6,000 fans, the team can now officially say baseball is back in Southern Maryland.

Opening with ceremonies to honor front-line healthcare workers and first responders, and after bringing out Little League players from SOMD, the first pitch initially set for 6:35 p.m. saw a slight delay.

Southern Maryland native and starting pitcher Daryl Thompson, who pitched eight innings deep on the evening, said that he was happy to see kids he mentored last summer when COVID halted the Blue Crabs season come out to watch.

“I knew a whole lot of the kids and people that were here today,” Thompson said. “To see fans back out there for the home opener and me being on the mound and having everybody here and all the fans, it was just fun to be back… The past two games I’ve started, I’ve had probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time playing the game of baseball.”

After a rather uneventful start to the game, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs’ bats came alive in the fourth inning.

Coming off a hot double play to close out the top, left fielder Jake Luce started the scoring, bringing in two base runners off a double. Center fielder Joe DeLuca would bring one more around to close out the inning, 3-0.

Holding off the Ducks through the top of the fifth inning, the Blue Crabs would bring the bats back for the bottom. Leading off with a double from shortstop Kent Blackstone, the Ducks pitcher would let up one more hit to advance him and walk the third baseman Josh McAdams before bringing in the bullpen.

A sliding double from right fielder David Harris would bring Blackstone around to make it 4-0. But the inning wouldn’t end before designated hitter Jake Marshall would crack one down the middle to bring two more runners in, making the score 6-0.

Harris would see more action after getting on in the seventh inning. An error on a low-ball down the third baseline would advance him to second, and let DeLuca bring him around on a double to make the score 7-0.

Mat Latos, the former MLB pitcher and Cy Young Award candidate, closed out the top of the ninth inning, leaving one stranded at second base with a total of 11 pitches.

In a postgame press conference, Manager Stan Cliburn talked about what it was like to be back on the field tonight in front of so many fans.

“You know, [tonight] kind of reminded me of opening day in the major leagues and throughout AAA and AA baseball throughout all the years,” Cliburn said. “That’s what baseball is all about, and it just shows that Southern Maryland can do that, that we can do that as a fan base.”

To top it off, the night finished with an explosive firework display just beyond the outfield. The Blue Crabs now have an overall record of 3-6 and are 1-0 over the Ducks this season.

Their next game will be on June 5 at 6:35 p.m.