April 19, 2014

Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, PA - Hopkins split its doubleheader with Ursinus Saturday afternoon, dropping the first game 7-6 before exploding for 14 runs in the day's second game to win 14-3. Hopkins now sits at 18-12 on the season and 6-7 in the Centennial, while Ursinus moves to 14-14 on the year (6-8 CC).

Game 1 (JHU 6, UC 7)

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth, senior Ralph Aurora was hit by a pitch to score the decisive run and give Ursinus a 7-6 victory over Hopkins in game one. The run culminated a four-run comeback for the Bears that started in the bottom of the ninth, as Hopkins failed to preserve a 6-3 lead that forced the game into extras.

After Ursinus's Devyn Kerr was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the ninth, junior RHP Thomas Harper forced Aurora to strike out swinging to get his first out in the inning. Back-to-back doubles from Timo Muro and Austin Feuerman scored two runs for the Bears, before another strikeout from Josh Schnell had Ursinus down to its last out.

Hopkins could not hold on to the 6-5 lead, as a single from Christopher Jablonski brought in the tying run, before the Jays caught a runner stealing at third to extend the game to the tenth inning.

The late run put a damper on the momentum swing JHU brought to the game in the top of the ninth down one run. With one out, Hopkins rallied for four runs on five hits and an error to go from a 3-2 deficit to a 6-3 advantage on the Bears.

Ursinus took its first lead in the bottom of the seventh, after a two-out single from Schnell drove in the go ahead run. The teams had previously been tied at two for most of the game, after Hopkins picked up a pair of runs in the second and third, before Ursinus responded with a two-run third.

Game 2 (JHU 14, UC 3)

The Hopkins offense went off for 15 hits and 13 RBIs as the team cruised to a 14-3 rout of Ursinus in the day's second game. Nine different Blue Jays recorded a hit, including junior Craig Hoelzer, who finished with four singles and four runs in the victory. Senior Mike Denlinger was also strong at the plate, notching four RBIs and two runs on two doubles and single. Hopkins was treated to an excellent starting pitching performance from sophomore Trevor Williams, who allowed only one earned run in eight innings with eight K's.

The Blue Jay's shook off the frustration of the day's opening game with a five-run first inning, as Denlinger and sophomore Raul Shah both tallied a pair of RBIs to get the team rolling. Hopkins added a run in the second and two more in the fourth to get up 8-0 on Ursinus, allowing the Bears only three hits through the first six innings.

Hopkins tacked one two more runs each in the eighth and ninth innings, before securing the 14-3 victory on a strikeout from RHP Ed Bryner.

With only five Centennial Conference games left, Hopkins will need every win it can get down the final stretch of the season. The Jays currently sit in fifth place in the standings with a 6-7 record, and have games remaining with Washington College (2), Muhlenberg (2) and Dickinson. Gettysburg has already clinched a spot in the postseason tournament with an 11-2 record, while Muhlenberg (8-4), McDaniel (8-6), Haverford (7-6) occupy the three spots behind the Bullets.

Hopkins baseball will return to the diamond on Monday, April 21 for a nonconference contest when the team travels to face York (PA) at 3:30 pm.

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