March 21, 2011

Box Score

PHOENIX, AZ - The Johns Hopkins baseball team fell to Williams (MA), 12-9, on an unseasonably windy and rainy day on Monday in Phoenix, AZ. The Blue Jays are now 6-4 on the year, while the Ephs improve to 1-1.

Williams led from start to finish in a marathon contest that lasted over four hours and saw both squads fight through high winds, rain and chilly temperatures better suited for the East Coast this time of year.

While the Blue Jays trailed the entire way, they had plenty of opportunities to make things interesting late in the game but left 15 runners on base, including 10 in the last four innings.

The Ephs notched runs in each of the first three innings to take an early 3-1 advantage, before tallying three more in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 6-1. Hopkins cut the Williams lead to 6-2 in the sixth after an RBI single from junior Mike Musary brought sophomore Kyle Neverman across the plate and added three more runs in the top of the seventh to pull within one.

Neverman provided the key hit in the seventh to bring JHU back within striking distance, delivering a two RBI triple to left center field, before sophomore Chris Wilhelm made the score 6-5 with an RBI single to left to bring in Neverman.

The Ephs answered the Hopkins rally with a big seventh inning of their own, tacking on five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take an 11-5 advantage.

The Blue Jays once again tallied three runs in the eighth and entered the final inning trailing 12-8, but were unable to come up with enough timely hitting in the final two frames to complete the comeback.

Williams junior starter Harry Marino picked up the win for the Ephs to move to 1-0 on the year. Marino struck out six and allowed three runs in six innings on the mound. Junior Alex Eliopoulos took the loss for the Blue Jays and is now 3-1 on the year.

Neverman remained hot at the plate for Hopkins with a 3-for-5 line with four RBIs and two runs scored, while Musary was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and two walks. Sophomore Matt Ricci went 2-for-2 with a walk and crossed the plate twice for the Blue Jays.

Sophomores Darren Hartwell and Chase Reuger led Williams with two RBIs apiece.

The seventh-ranked Blue Jays return to the field on Tuesday, March 22 against Elmhurst at 10 am.