April 15, 2011

Box Score

GETTYSBURG, PA - Junior Alex Eliopoulos pitched a three-hit, complete-game gem to lead the Johns Hopkins baseball team to a 3-0 shutout road victory over Gettysburg on Friday afternoon. The win, coupled with Franklin & Marshall's 4-3 loss to Washington College, moves the Blue Jays into a three-way tie atop the Centennial Conference standings with F&M and Haverford. JHU is now 16-10 overall and 9-3 in the conference, while Gettysburg falls to 9-18 overall and 3-9 in conference play.

Friday's matchup was the very definition of a pitcher's duel as both Eliopoulos and Gettysburg sophomore starter Ryan Taylor pitched complete games and combined to allow just seven hits with 19 strikeouts on the afternoon.

Eliopoulos was sharp from start to finish as he allowed only three hits and nine base runners, including only four in scoring position, as he went the distance for the second time in the 2011 season. The junior righthander recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts while walking four to move to 5-2 on the year.

Hopkins scored each of its three runs in the first to take an early lead that would prove to be more than enough run support for Eliopoulos. Sophomore Kyle Neverman notched the first hit of the day for JHU and a batter later stole second with two outs in the frame. Senior Jesse Sikorski then doubled to right center to bring in Neverman from second. Sophomores Ryan Zakszeski and Jeff Lynch followed with back-to-back RBI singles through the left side of the infield to give the Blue Jays a 3-0 advantage.

Aside from the shaky first inning, Taylor's performance on the mound was equally impressive as he retired 25 straight Hopkins' batters following Lynch's RBI single in the first inning. Taylor tallied nine strikeouts and didn't walk a single batter, but took the loss to fall to 3-4.

The Blue Jays return to action on Sunday, April 17 for their first home conference doubleheader of the season against Ursinus. Game time is set for 12:30 pm at the JHU Baseball Diamond.