April 11, 2011

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - Graduate student Joe Borrelli knocked in a career-high seven RBIs, including the eventual game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, to lead the 24th-ranked Johns Hopkins baseball team to a thrilling back-and-forth 10-9 victory over visiting McDaniel on Monday afternoon in Centennial Conference action. The Blue Jays come up with a much-needed win to improve to 14-10 (7-3 CC), while the Green Terror have now lost four straight and drop to 10-12 (3-7 CC).

Borrelli was the undisputed player of the game for JHU as he went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, seven RBIs and two home runs, including what would prove to be the game-winning two-run blast in the bottom half of the eighth inning.

The Blue Jays held an 8-3 lead through six frames and looked well on their way to completing the season sweep of the Green Terror, but McDaniel began to chip away at the JHU advantage with two runs in the top of the seventh to bring the count to 8-5.

The Green Terror then notched four runs in the action-packed eighth inning to take their first lead of the contest, 9-8. Hopkins retired the first two batters of the frame, but McDaniel came through with an impressive two-out rally that included two two-run bombs to left field.

Sophomore Patrick Christopher kept the inning alive for McDaniel with a perfectly placed bunt single to the right side of the infield, before freshman Marshall Betts launched a two-run homer down the left field line that barely remained in fair territory to bring the Terror within 8-7. Freshman James Chiorello then singled to right center and junior Jimmy Najera connected on a two-run homer to left - his third two-run homer against JHU this year - to give McDaniel its first lead, 9-8.

Junior Mike Freeman made it five straight hits for McDaniel with a double to right center, but junior Aaron Schwartz came in for JHU in relief on the mound and thwarted any McDaniel hopes of additional runs as he struck out the next batter for the third and final out of the inning.

Junior Sam Wernick put down a bunt to lead off the bottom of the eighth and reached second base after an errant throw by McDaniel sophomore reliever Gio Fricchione, giving Hopkins that crucial leadoff batter on base to start the inning. Fricchione responded with two straight outs, while Wernick was able to tag up to third with Borrelli coming to the plate. Borrelli proved to be the right man at the right time for JHU as he connected on his second homer of the game, a two-run screamer over the fence in right center that gave Hopkins back the lead and would ultimately clinch the 10-9 victory.

Schwartz pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win for JHU and move to 2-1 on the year. The junior shutout the Green Terror in his 1.1 innings in relief and benefitted from two stellar defensive plays from the JHU infield in the final frame. Sophomore first baseman Chris Wilhelm made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory to record the first out of the inning, while graduate student Steve Bejsiuk made an impressive stretch on the bag at second in catching a throw from third baseman Ryan Zakszeski to make out number two. Schwartz then forced a groundout to Bejsiuk at second to close out the win.

Borrelli led Hopkins with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate with seven RBIs and two home runs, while sophomore Kyle Neverman blasted his third homer of the year to the deepest part of the park in straightaway center field and went 2-for-4 with a team-high three runs scored. Senior Jesse Sikorski went 3-for-5 on the day with an RBI and Wernick posted a 2-for-4 line with an RBI and crossed the plate twice.

Senior Chris Longo paced the Green Terror with a 4-for-5 line at the plate and four RBIs, Najera went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored and Betts went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and crossed home plate twice in the loss.

Junior Danny Sight allowed eight runs on 14 hits while fanning six in seven innings on the mound for McDaniel, while Fricchione takes the loss in relief to fall to 1-3 in 2011.

Hopkins returns to action on Tuesday, April 12 at home against Gettysburg in Centennial Conference play. First pitch is set for 3:30 pm.