April 22, 2014

Box Score

CHESTERTOWN, MD - Hopkins scored seven of its eight runs in the first three innings, while senior RHP Zach Augustine allowed only two hits in four innings of relief to help JHU get past Washington College 8-6 Tuesday afternoon. The Blue Jay batters sprayed the ball all over Athey Park throughout the game, finishing with 13 hits (seven for extra bases) off the Shoremen pitching staff. The win puts Hopkins one step closer to the postseason in a very tight Centennial playoff race, and moves the Jays to 19-13 on the year (7-7 CC). Washington drops to 15-17 (6-9 CC) with the loss.

Down 3-2 in the top of the third, Hopkins used six hits to score five crucial runs in what would be a tight game down the stretch. Junior Craig Hoelzer started off the inning with a bang for the Blue Jays, blasting his second triple of the day to right center to set up fellow junior Colin McCarthy at the plate. McCarthy knocked a triple of his own past the outstretched glove of the right fielder, bringing in Hoelzer and putting himself in scoring position.

Junior Chris Casey then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Jays a 4-3 lead, before the Shoremen got their second out of the game on a pop up. After senior Richie Carbone walked, freshman Conor Reynolds kept the rally going in style, belting his first career home run to left center with two outs to give Hopkins a 6-3 advantage.

A double from senior Mike Denlinger and single from fellow senior Jonathan Hettleman put another run on the board before Washington could get inning down 7-3 to a surging Blue Jay offense.

Hopkins didn't make it easy, after two costly errors led to three runs for the Shoremen in the bottom of the fifth. With one out and a man on second, a throwing error allowed Pat Kinsella to reach third and Scott Matthews to reach safely on a fielder's choice. An error on the ensuing play brought in a run for the Shoremen, cutting the Hopkins lead to three with two men on.

A ground out to third got Hopkins two outs, but a double to right center from Dennis Thomas in his ensuing at bat scored two to bring Washington only one run away from tying. Senior RHP Tyler Goldstein forced a ground out to end the inning, and the Jays halted any further damage heading into the top of the sixth.

Hopkins added an insurance run in the eighth, after back-to-back doubles from Hettleman and sophomore Kyle Gillen gave JHU a 8-6 advantage. Washington got runners on in the sixth, seventh and eighth, but couldn't bring players across the plate as the Shoremen batters struggled to figure out Augustine on the mound. The senior finished with four strikeouts, and retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his third save of the season.

Hopkins will face Washington College again this Friday in Chestertown when the team returns to Centennial action, but will be back on the diamond tomorrow against Montclair State. The Jays will travel to Montclair, NJ to face the Red Hawks at 7:00 pm in a nonconference contest.

-30-