April 17, 2013

Box Score

UPPER MONTCLAIR, NJ - Sophomore Christopher Casey drew a bases loaded walk in the top of the ninth to guide the #3 Johns Hopkins baseball team past Montclair State, 4-3, in non-conference action Wednesday night at Yogi Berra Stadium. The Blue Jays improved to 28-3 on the season, while the Red Hawks fell to 11-12-1.

After 13 consecutive Hopkins batters were retired by Montclair State pitching, junior Mike Denlinger and senior Chris Wilhelm changed the Jays' fortunes by opening the ninth inning with a pair of walks. The runners advanced on a groundout by Ryan Zakszeski, and the Red Hawks intentionally walked Mike Kanen to load the bases and set up the force out. Casey, who entered the game in the seventh, then drew the eventual game-winning walk to score Denlinger.

The late-inning drama on the part of the Blue Jays ended an offensive drought for both sides, which combined for just two hits in the final five innings after 11 through four.

Hopkins opened the scoring in the first as senior Kyle Neverman reached base on a single just past the diving glove of the Montclair State shortstop, and advanced to third after a single to left by Colin McCarthy. Senior Jeff Lynch then drove in Neverman with a deep sacrifice fly to right center to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.

The Red Hawks answered right back in the bottom half of the inning as Louis Martini earned a two out walk. A pair of singles, including an RBI hit to center by Scott Glozzy, scored Martini to even the game, 1-1.

Montclair State tacked on another run in the second to take its first lead of the game after a deep double to the left field wall by Jose Carlos Padilla that scored Juan Perdomo from first base.

It was the Jays' turn to answer in the fourth as Lynch squared the game, 2-2, with a leadoff home run over the left field fence. Wilhelm then reached base on a sharply hit single down the third base line, before Kanen ripped a single to right. Adam Weiner gave Hopkins the 3-2 advantage, scoring Wilhelm with an opposite field single to right.

The Red Hawks bounced back in the fifth when Padilla reached base on a walk and Connor Abreu single through the right side. Martini then hit a chopper to Wilhelm at third for a possible double play, but Martini beat out the relay to score Padilla on the fielder's choice and tie the game, 3-3.

Sophomore Thomas Solomon had an excellent performance in long relief for the Jays, allowing just one earned run on two hits in four innings of work. Justin Drechsel then finished the game after being summoned in the eighth, proceeding to strike out two batters.

Lynch's pair of RBIs pushed him into the team-lead in the category with 37 on the season, as Neverman finished 2-for-5 with a run scored. Travis Della Volpe pitched 6.1 innings for the Red Hawks, fanning four batters and allowing three earned runs on eight hits.

Hopkins returns has a short break before returning to action Friday as it travels to Gettysburg for the second game of a home-and-home series. The Bullets snapped the Jays' 20-game win streak Tuesday with an 8-7 win.

For more information about the Baseball Capital Project, please contact Blue Jays Unlimited at bju@jhu.edu.

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