Box Score April 3, 2011
Box Score
BALTIMORE, MD - Graduate student Matt Wiegand earned his second win over Dickinson in less than a week as the 16th-ranked Johns Hopkins Blue Jays edged out the visiting Red Devils, 5-4, in Centennial Conference action on Sunday afternoon at the JHU Baseball Diamond. Hopkins improves to 12-7 (5-1 CC), while Dickinson drops its seventh straight game and remains winless in conference play at 13-10 (0-6 CC).
Wiegand, who pitched six shutout innings in JHU's 10-1 victory over Dickinson last Tuesday, consistently kept the Red Devils off-balance at the plate, recording eight strikeouts while allowing two runs on seven hits in seven innings of work.
Dickinson struck first in the top of the second inning as junior Jordan Kaufman opened the frame with a double that hit off the wall in left field. Wiegand retired the next two Dickinson batters, but an infield single by senior Evan Hennessy brought in Kaufman and the Red Devils held an early 1-0 advantage.
The Blue Jays would answer back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the second. Sophomores Kyle Neverman and Chris Wilhelm earned back-to-back walks and executed a double steal with one out to move to third and second base, respectively. Sophomore Zach Small then put JHU on the board with a high-bouncing chopper to Dickinson freshman pitcher Will Daley that gave the speedy Neverman enough time to cross the plate from third, while Wilhelm advanced to third on the play.
With Wilhelm on third, a wild pitch from Daley skirted to the side of Dickinson catcher Evan Hennessy and Wilhelm raced home to give Hopkins a 2-1 lead after two innings.
In the bottom of the fourth Wilhelm connected on his second home run of the season, a solo opposite field shot over the short porch in right to give JHU a two-run edge.
After scoreless fifth and sixth innings from both sides, the Red Devils cut the JHU advantage in half in the top of the seventh. Senior Mike Schuster sent a fly ball to left field that was just deep enough to let junior Matt Tuneski tag up from third.
The Blue Jays again responded to a Dickinson score with two runs of their own in the seventh to extend their lead to 5-2. Freshman Mike Denlinger reached on an error and junior Aaron Borenstein drew a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Senior Jesse Sikorski followed with a single that slipped in between the right side of the Red Devil infield and into right to bring in Denlinger from second, while Borenstein made his way to third.
Borenstein's hustle on the base paths on Sikorski's hit would pay off a batter later as Neverman lifted a fly ball to deep center to bring home Borenstein for a sacrifice fly and a 5-2 Blue Jay advantage.
Dickinson wouldn't go way easily as the visitors rallied for runs in both the eighth and ninth innings, but came up short in its comeback attempt as JHU prevailed, 5-4.
Freshman Zach Augustine and senior Chip Harsh closed out the win for Hopkins with each pitching one inning on the mound. Augustine recorded one strikeout and allowed one unearned run in the eighth, while Harsh earned his first career save while letting one run cross in the ninth.
Daley takes the loss for Dickinson to fall to 3-2 on the year. The freshman righthander allowed five runs on six hits with six walks and four strikeouts in seven innings.
Wilhelm went 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored to pace JHU, while Sikorski, Neverman and Small also each notched RBIs in the win. Graduate student Steve Bejsiuk led the Blue Jays in hits with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
Sophomore James Santoro went 2-for-5 with an RBI for Dickinson, while Hennessy posted a 2-for-3 line with one RBI in the loss.
The 16th-ranked Blue Jays return to action on Monday, April 4 against Stevenson in non-conference action. Game time is set for 3:30 pm at the JHU Baseball Diamond.
