BALTIMORE, MD – The seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins Blue Jays used a five-run first inning to down the York College baseball squad 6-2 in non-conference action on Wednesday in Baltimore, MD. The Blue Jays improve to 1-0 while the Spartans fall to 1-7 overall.
York College freshman starter Bryan Palumbo got two outs to start the first inning but the potent Blue Jay offense followed with a single, a two-run homer, a solo homer, a hit batter and another two-run homer to take the 5-0 lead.
After the rough first frame, Palumbo settled in and threw two scoreless innings before being lifted.
The Spartan offense could only muster one hit and a walk in the first three innings against Blue Jay starter Alex Eliopoulus. However, York got on the board in the fourth as they loaded the bases off Sam Eagleson, Hopkins returning first-team All-American hurler. The Green and White managed just one run as Joe Doyle lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Justin Cohen with the Spartans' first run. Eagleson got out of the jam with a pair of fielder's choices as the Spartans stranded a pair of runners.
Freshman David Walker relieved Palumbo and was solid with three scoreless innings of work. Walker allowed two hits and walked one as he kept the game close through six innings.
While the freshman pitchers were holding the Blue Jays at bay, the Spartan offense couldn't string enough hits together to draw closers. In the fifth, Steve Tretter doubled to left and Kyle Cook had an infield single to third to put Spartans at first and second with one out. Tretter moved to third on a Cohen fly out to right but Eagleson got a ground out to again end the Spartan threat.
York cut into the lead in the eighth as Cook lead off the inning with a double to left. A fly out advanced Cook to third before he scored on a fielder's choice RBI ground out.
The Blue Jays closed out the scoring in the eighth without a hit as they coaxed three walks and a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 6-2.
The Spartans ended the game with runners on the corners as they left nine runners on in the contest.
Eliopoulos earned the win as he allowed a hit in three innings with two strikeouts and one walk. Eagleson allowed one unearned run in three innings on two hits with a walk and a strikeout. The remaining three Blue Jay pitchers surrendered a run on three hits with one walk.
Palumbo took the loss as he allowed five runs on eight hits with one strikeout in three innings of work. He falls to 0-2 with the setback.
Steve Bejsiuk led the Blue Jays with two hits, a pair of RBI and a run scored including his first home run of the year. Aaron Borenstein went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Jesse Sikorski had a two-run homer for the hosts.
Tretter and Cook each had two hits as they combined for four of York's six hits. Doyle and Nic Long had the RBIs for the Spartans.
The Spartans are scheduled to make their home debut on Friday afternoon as they host Wesley College in a Capital Athletic Conference contest. First pitch at Jaquet Field is slated for 3:00 pm.