Box Score April 17, 2014
Box Score
GETTYSBURG, PA - Senior Patrick O'Grady hit a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth, as Gettysburg scored the winning run to top Hopkins 4-3 Thursday afternoon. With one out and the bases loaded, O'Grady blooped a ball barely into the grass in right field to bring in the runner from third. The throw was not in time, giving the Bullets their 23rd straight win to move to 26-3 (11-0 CC). Hopkins drops to 16-11 on the year (4-6 CC).
The game was tight nearly the entire afternoon, as both pitchers were dealing their best stuff through the first four innings. JHU got its first hit of the game in the top of the fifth, as freshman Conor Reynolds reached on a two-out infield single. After stealing second base, Reynolds set the table for senior Jonathan Hettleman, who hit a RBI single into right field to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 advantage.
After fellow senior John Maxwell singled in his ensuing at bat, a series of out of control pitches got both base runners across the plate. With junior Chris Casey at the plate, Gettysburg RHP Eric Hungerford threw two wild pitches to bring Hettleman home. With three balls against Casey, a third wild pitch advanced Maxwell from third and allowed Casey to reach to second after the walk. A groundout got the Bullets out of the inning, but not before the Jays got up 3-0.
Gettysburg answered back in the bottom of the sixth, using four straight hits to even the game at three. After a bunt single allowed O'Grady to reach with no outs, a single from Al Posch allowed Nate Simon to come to the plate with two men on. Simon knocked a RBI double into right center to bring in one, while a two RBI double from Tommy LeNoir knotted the teams at three. Junior right-handed reliever Justin Drechsel was able to get three straight outs coming in out of the bullpen, holding the Bullets at three.
Hopkins had a great chance to go ahead in the top of the seventh, using the same formula to set up a score as in the fifth. Reynolds reached again after being hit by a pitch, stole second and was rounding third after Hettleman put a ball into center field. However, a frozen rope from the Gettysburg centerfielder beat Reynolds to the plate, and catcher Cam McDonald held onto the ball after a collision to get the out.
The Jays managed one more base runner the rest of the afternoon, and finished with only four hits for the second straight game. Hopkins will have an opportunity to even the series with the Bullets tomorrow when the teams meet at Towson University. First pitch is slated for 3:30 pm.
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