March 28, 2008

Box Score

WESTMINSTER, MD - Behind a complete team effort and a season-high in runs the #21 Johns Hopkins baseball team rolled to a 17-0 victory over McDaniel on Friday afternoon in Westminster, MD. The Blue Jays (12-3, 2-0 CC) won their eighth straight contest as head coach Bob Babb recorded the 799th victory of his coaching career.

Hopkins tallied a single run in the first inning before exploding for six runs in the second inning. In the second, the first two runners reached base before McDaniel got the first out of the inning. Senior left fielder Jon Solomon (Fairfax, VA/Riverdale Baptist) then came through with an RBI single to get the scoring started. Also highlighting the inning for the Blue Jays would be a two RBI singles from senior third baseman Todd Emr (Westwood, NJ/Saddle River Day) and from junior first baseman Ryan Biner (Crystal Lake, IL/Prairie Ridge).

After McDaniel retired the Blue Jays in the third, the visitors struck for another run in the fourth this time on an RBI double from senior catcher Tony Margve (Randolph, NJ/Randolph). The Blue Jays led 8-0 after four innings of play.

Hopkins put another big number on the board in the fifth inning with a seven spot. In the top of the fifth, the first seven Blue Jays reached base. Solomon led off the frame with a triple and came home to score on sophomore Brian Youchak (Pittsburgh, PA/Vincentian Academy) sac fly that the left fielder dropped to let him reach. Youchak scored as senior shortstop Jonas Fester (Dallas, TX/Syosset) extended his hit streak to 25-games with an RBI single. Margve also had an RBI single in the inning for the Blue Jays. Hopkins took advantage of a couple of fielding errors in the inning as they scored seven runs on four hits with two McDaniel errors in that frame.

Ahead 15-0 after five innings of play, Hopkins would add single runs in the sixth and ninth innings for its final margin of victory.

Hopkins got solid pitching from its hurlers on the day. Senior Ryan Kuhlman (Hicksville, NY/Bethpage) went six innings and allowed just five hits for his third victory on the season. Kuhlman struck out eight and walked two as just one McDaniel batter reached third base during his stint. Three different pitchers pitched one inning to close out the contest, allowing no hits, striking out five and walking two. Hopkins hurlers combined for 13 strikeouts on the day and 29 in the two games against McDaniel this year.

Jarrett Smith took the loss for McDaniel after allowing 13 runs in 4.1 plus innings of work.

Hopkins pounded out 17 hits on the day as eight of the nine starters had at least one hit in the process. Emr, Margve and Biner combined to go 7-for-11 with five runs scored and seven RBIs. Emr extended his hit streak to 10 games after going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs while Margve was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Biner continued his hot hitting with a 3-for-4 performance with three RBIs and two runs scored.

The Blue Jays will return to action on Saturday, March 29 against Swarthmore. First pitch of game-one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

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