March 19, 2012

Box Score

Phoenix, AZ - Junior Kyle Neverman and sophomore Mike Denlinger lifted the Johns Hopkins baseball team past Williams for its second-straight win this season as the Blue Jays held off the Ephs to swipe a 9-7 victory, Monday afternoon.

The Blue Jays improved to 5-5-2 on the season while the Ephs dropped to 0-1.

Hopkins found itself in a 3-0 hole after three innings as the Ephs scored two runs in top of the second off a two-run home run to left field from freshman Pat McGovern that brought home Matt Kastner, who led off the inning with a triple to right center. Senior starting pitcher Sam Eagleson settled down and set the next three batters down in order to retire the side. Williams tacked on one more run in the top of the third. The Ephs led off the third with another extra base hit after Darren Hartwell doubled down the right field line. Hardwell came around to score on an error by the Blue Jay shortstop. The Ephs held a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth as Williams' starting pitcher Harry Marino kept the Blue Jays off the board in the first three frames.

The Blue Jays put up four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. Sophomore Richie Carbone reached base as a one-out base runner by getting hit by a 1-0 offering. Senior Scott Barrett reached on botched come backer to the pitcher to put two runners on. With two outs, junior Adam Weiner sent a ball up the middle to plate Carbone and cut the Ephs' lead to 3-1. After taking the first pitch, Neverman sent the ball over the left center fence and off the scoreboard to bring around Barrett and Weiner and give Hopkins a 4-3 lead.

Williams came right back in the top of the fifth to tie the game at four after Hartwall led off the frame with his second extra base hit with a triple to right and came around to score on an error by the Jays' third baseman.

Hopkins got the run back in the home half of the frame with singles from Denlinger and Barrett sandwiched around a walk to Carbone to load the bases. Junior Chris Vonderschmidt sent a 1-1 offering deep to right field to plate Denlinger and re-take the lead, 5-4.

Once again, the Eph's answered with a run in the top of the sixth to knot the game at five. The first two Ephs' batters reached on back-to-back errors by the Blue Jays. With runners on first and third and no outs, Eagleson induced a double play from K.C. Emerson to clear the bases, but Kastner came around to score the tying run.

Not to be outdone, the Blue Jays put up two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead for good. With two outs, senior Aaron Borenstein singled up the middle and was doubled home as the go-ahead run by junior Jeff Lynch. Denlinger collected his first hit of the game with a single to right to score Lynch as the Blue Jays led, 7-5.

The Blue Jays added two insurance runs in the seventh and eighth inning to take a 9-5 lead. Barrett led off the seventh drawing a five-pitch walk and Weiner worked a one-out walk to put two runners on. Junior Mike Kanen singled to left to bring home Barrett to push the Blue Jay lead to 8-5. Denlinger drew his second walk of the game and promptly stole second and third to put himself 90 feet from the plate during Carbone's at bat. Junior Matt Ricci singled to left field and Denlinger was able to trot home for the Blue Jays ninth run.

Hopkins would need the two extra runs as the first two Ephs' reached base in the top of the ninth. Senior closer Aaron Schwartz came in and quickly got two outs with back-to-back strikeouts. After both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, Kastner singled to left field to bring home Cameron Susk and Hartwall to cut the Blue Jay lead to 9-7. Ben Olivia came out as a pinch hitter after a two-out walk put two runners on. Olivia represented the go-ahead run for the Ephs', but Schwartz induced a ground ball to second that Weiner fielded and flipped to Carbone at first to end the ball game and hand Hopkins a 9-7 victory.

The Blue Jays scored eight of their nine runs with two outs and stole a season-high five bases on the day, lead by Denlinger, who swiped three bags.

Neverman led with three RBIs while Kanen had two runs and Denlinger scored twice.

Eagleson earned the win on the mound for the Blue Jays, improving to 1-1 on the season. The right hander threw 6 1/3 strong innings, giving up five runs, two earned, on just five hits and two walks while striking out four Ephs. Senior Ryan Scherich came out as middle relief in the seventh and threw 1 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs, one earned, on just two hits and a walk while fanning two batters. Schwartz earned his third save of the season after pitching the ninth, giving up just one hit and a walk and picking up two strikeouts.

Johns Hopkins continues its spring break trip in Phoenix, AZ as the Blue Jays take on William Paterson, tomorrow, March 20. The first pitch is scheduled for 10 am MST.