April 14, 2012

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, PA - The Johns Hopkins baseball team swept its second Centennial Conference double header behind another dominant pitching performance of the dynamic-duo of senior Alex Eliopoulos and sophomore Tyler Goldstein as the Blue Jays took both games from Ursinus, Saturday afternoon. Hopkins won the first game 2-0 while taking the night cap 6-1.

Eliopoulos held the Bears to just six hits over eight innings of work while striking out 10 in his second double-digit punch out performance of the season. The senior worked out of a bases-loaded one out jam in the third getting Ben Gresh to ground into a tailor made 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.

The Blue Jays, who improved to 19-9-2 on the season and 10-2 in the conference with the sweep, provided all the offense Eliopoulos would need early in the game. Sophomore Mike Denlinger got the Jays on the board first with a one-out solo home run to right field for his third round-tripper of the season. Hopkins added an insurance run in the top of the third. Junior Adam Weiner singled and stole second before moving to third on a ground out from classmate Kyle Neverman. Junior Mike Kanen brought Weiner around when he reached on a fielding error from the first baseman that would have ended the inning.

The Bears (13-16, 5-7 CC) posed a scoring threat in the bottom of the eighth after Rich Guthridge walked to load the bases. Eliopoulos maintained his composure and got Joel Ackerman to chase the third strike and close out the inning.

Senior Aaron Schwartz came out of relief of Eliopoulos in the bottom of the ninth and after giving up a two-out single to load the bases, Schwartz got Gresh to fly out to sophomore Richie Carbone in center and close door on the Bears. Schwartz earned his sixth save of the season and eighth of his career.

The Blue Jays provided a few more runs of offense in the second game, but Goldstein held the Bears at bay, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out a career-high five batters. Goldstein went the distance for the Jays for the first time in his young career.

Hopkins struck first once again and is now 16-5-1 when scoring the first run of the ball game. Junior Jeff Lynch led off the top of the second with a walk before classmate Ryan Zakszeski singled to left field. Senior Scott Barrett hit a fly ball to right field to move Lynch to third and classmate Mike Musary drove Lynch home with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Blue Jays put three more runs on the board in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead. Neverman singled through the right side and moved up to second on a wild pitch before stealing third to move 90 feet from scoring. Senior Aaron Borenstein collected his first hit of the game with a single to center to plate Neverman. Borenstein stole second and Lynch walked for the second time in the game before Zakszeski singled to load the bases for Barrett. Barrett hit a two-run single to left field to drive home Borenstein and Lynch.

Hopkins tacked on its fifth run in the top of the fourth when Kanen singled to left to bring around Neverman who hit a two-out double to left field. The Jays plated their final run of the day in the top of the sixth to take a 6-0 lead. Junior Matt Ricci led off the frame with a double to left and moved to third on a ground out from Weiner. Neverman walked to put runners on first and third and the two executed a perfect second and home double steal with two outs as Ricci scored on the play.

Ursinus did get one run back in the top of the eighth on an RBI-double from Kevin Wilson that scored Garret Smith, but Goldstein shut the Bears down in the ninth to earn the complete game win.

Borenstein led the Jays at the plate going 4-for-8 on the day with a double, a run scored and an RBI while Barrett collected two RBIs on the afternoon. Eliopoulos improved to 6-0 on the season and Goldstein moved to 4-2 on the year.

The Blue Jays return to action as they continue their four-game road trip with a non-conference game against Rutgers-Newark on April 15. The first pitch is set for 1 pm.