April 12, 2003

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

LANCASTER, PA - The Johns Hopkins baseball team had its eight-game winning streak snapped and lost for the first time in conference play as Franklin & Marshall swept a Centennial Conference doubleheader this afternoon at Caplan Field.

F&M won both games by 2-1 scores to improve to 11-11 overall and 6-5 in the conference, while the Blue Jays lost for the first time since March 19 to fall to 17-4 overall and 5-2 in CC action. Hopkins was last swept in a Centennial doubleheader during the 1999 season when JHU lost to Muhlenberg, 3-0 and 9-4.

The Diplomats took a 1-0 lead in the first game in the bottom of the second inning as Mark Rothermel singled and later scored on a groundout by Jason Schwartzberg. Hopkins tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth as sophomore Mike Spiciarich (Syosset, NY/Chaminade) walked and scored on a single by sophomore Mike Durgala (Annandale, VA/Thomas Jefferson), but F&M would answer in the bottom of the inning.

Chris Smith led off the bottom of the sixth with a single for Franklin & Marshall. He then advanced to second on a balk and to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch to give the Diplomats a 2-1 advantage. Jeremy Knox, who came in relief in the sixth, pitched a perfect seventh to earn the win and close out the game.

Senior Jeremy Brown (Baltimore, MD/McDonogh School) fell to 3-2 for the Blue Jays despite allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out five in six innings. Scott Solomon started for F&M and gave up one run on two hits in 5.2 innings.

In the second game, Hopkins started off the top of the first with four consecutive singles, but would be able to score just one run. Senior Jay Cieri (Pine Brook, NJ/Montville) scored on a single by sophomore Paul Winterling (Glenelg, MD/McDonogh School), but the Blue Jays stranded the bases loaded with three straight outs.

The Diplomats tied the score in the bottom of the third as Schwartzberg singled, advanced to second on a sacrifice by Rob Georgiou and scored two batters later on a single by Eric Milavsky.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Rothermel singled with one out and scored on a double by Corey Caruthers to end the game.

Sophomore Ryan McConnell (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor) took the loss for the Blue Jays to fall to 1-1 on the year. He struck out six batters in 6.1 innings and allowed just two runs on six hits. Gordie Eck went the distance for F&M and allowed one run on 10 hits while striking out six and stranding nine JHU runners.

The Blue Jays return to action Monday as Hopkins travels to Chestertown, Maryland to face Washington College in Centennial action.

Game 1 Line Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Johns Hopkins (17-3, 5-1 CC) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 3
Franklin & Marshall (10-11, 5-5 CC) 0 1 0 0 0 1 - 2 3 1
Winning Pitcher- Jeremy Knox; Losing Pitcher- Jeremy Brown

Game 2 Line Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Johns Hopkins (17-4, 5-2 CC) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10 0
Franklin & Marshall (11-11, 6-5 CC) 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 6 0
Winning Pitcher- Gordie Eck; Losing Pitcher- Ryan McConnell
2B- JHU: Long; F&M: Caruthers