April 15, 2013

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD -- The No. 5 Johns Hopkins baseball team totaled 20 hits -- including two home runs by senior Jeff Lynch -- as it powered past Widener in a shootout, 20-15, Monday afternoon at the JHU Baseball Diamond.

It was the most runs in a game for the Blue Jays since May 1, 2010, when they poured in 21 runs to defeat Haverford in the Centennial Conference Tournament. The victory stretched Hopkins' winning streak to 20 games, as it improved to 27-2 overall.

Holding a 17-15 advantage in a game where no lead was safe, Lynch belted a two-run home run to deep left center field in an effort to put an end to the madness. The home run, followed by an additional run from Chris Wilhelm, gave relief pitcher Justin Drechsel a 20-15 cushion to close out the game in the ninth.

A ton of offense, combined with poor pitching from both teams, contributed to the fireworks on the afternoon, as the teams combined for 35 runs, 41 hits, eight errors and 12 pitchers. Hopkins scored the bulk of its runs with an eight-run fifth inning, while Widener (14-16) scored 14 runs between the fourth and eighth innings.

After scoring five runs through the first three innings, Hopkins appeared to take control of the game, 13-5, by plating eight runners in the fifth. The action in the frame was sandwiched by a two-run Wilhelm home run and a three-run Lynch dinger. Wilhelm leads the Centennial Conference with seven homers on the season, while it was the first career multiple home run game for Lynch.

The Pride did not have any home runs of their own, but managed to battle back into the game with strong hitting and shaky pitching on the part of the Blue Jays. Much of the damage came in the seventh and eighth innings, when Widener scored eight total runs. Marc Noyalis' two-run single in the eighth brought the Pride within two runs, 17-15. Noyalis had a team-high five RBIs on four hits.

Lynch had an impressive offensive line, batting 3-for-4 with five RBIs, five runs and two walks, while Wilhelm was 4-for-4 with three RBIs. Jonathan Hettleman and Adam Weiner each had a pair of RBIs for the Jays, as well. Freshman Trevor Williams went four innings on the mound, allowing four earned runs on seven hits.

Hopkins must quickly set aside its pitching woes as it welcomes conference foe Gettysburg (20-10, 6-4 CC) to the JHU Baseball Diamond tomorrow afternoon at 3:30. The Bullets are currently tied for second in the Centennial Conference standings.

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