April 22, 2007

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - The #19 Johns Hopkins baseball team swept a doubleheader from Muhlenberg College on Sunday by scores of 13-2 and 14-3. The Blue Jays (26-6, 14-2 CC) have now won at least 25 games in 16 straight seasons under head coach Bob Babb. With the win, the Blue Jays clinch a spot in the upcoming Centennial Conference playoffs, to be held May 4th through the 6th.

The Blue Jay offense wasted little time going to work in game one as six of the first seven batters reached base in the first inning. Hopkins' second batter of the inning, junior Jon Solomon, crushed a pitch over the right field fence for a two-run home run. The Blue Jays put together four straight hits before Muhlenberg got the second out of the inning. Then with two outs Nate Adelman walked to load the bases. Jonas Fester then knocked his 18th double of the year to center field to score all three base runners and Hopkins had a 7-0 lead after one inning .

The Blue Jays plated four more runs in the second, thanks to a RBI single from Brett Izzo and a sacrifice fly from Matt Benchener. Hopkins would add a single run in the third inning before Muhlenberg got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the fifth. Hopkins would tally another run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single from Dan Merzel to make the final score in game one, 13-2.

Ryan Kuhlman picked up his seventh win of the year after throwing five innings and allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Joseph Barrese took the loss for Muhlenberg as he went one plus innings and surrendered 11 runs.

Muhlenberg took a early lead in game two with run off Blue Jay starter Brian Duddie in the top of the second inning. The Blue Jays responded with six runs in the bottom of the second inning. Highlighting the inning for the Blue Jays was a pair of home runs as Solomon hit his second of the day and Tony Margve also connected for a round tripper.

Hopkins would add six more runs to its total in the bottom of the third inning. Highlighting the inning for the Blue Jays were Margve's RBI double, Fester's RBI single and Solomon's RBI single. Hopkins would add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 14-1 lead after four innings of play. Muhlenberg would add two runs to its total in the seventh, to make the final score 14-3.

Duddie picked up the win in game two as he went five innings and surrendered just one run while striking out four. Paul Faith took the loss for Muhlenberg as he gave up 14 runs in 4.1 innings of work.

The Blue Jays as a whole had a good day at the plate, banging out a combined 32 hits in the two games. Solomon was a 3-for-7 with six RBIs, three runs scored and the two home runs. Margve was 5-for-5 with five RBIs, five runs scored, the home run and four doubles. Izzo was 3-for-4 with five runs scored and an RBI while Lee Bolyard was 3-for-5 with five runs scored and three RBIs.

Hopkins returns to action tomorrow when it hosts Villa Julie College in its final regular season home game. First pitch at JHU Baseball Field is set for 3:30 p.m.

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