Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2
Game 1: Elizabethtown 2, Westminster (Pa.) 0
Game 2: Elizabethtown 2, Westminster (Pa.) 0
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Starting pitchers Jake Hoffstein (game one) and Taras Letnaunchyn (game two) both shutout Westminster in a doubleheader Wednesday morning at the Lawnwood Complex as Elizabethtown baseball improved to 4-1 on the season. Letnaunchyn was an out shy of a no-hitter and Hoffstein gave up just three hits, as the Blue Jays took each game by an identical 2-0 score.
GAME 1
Jake Hoffstein became the fourth different pitcher to turn in an impressive start early in 2012 with a complete game, three-hit shutout in the opener against Westminster. Hoffstein was in command, striking out four and allowing a single walk. E-town's precision continued from its starters, who have now allowed only three bases on balls in four games.
Both Elizabethtown runs came in the opening two innings, as it recorded three of its seven hits in the contest. Kyle Gable reached base on an error in the first and then scored on Steve Motika's double to the right center field gap.
Jon Bacher sent a shot right down the left field line with one-out in the third for his first hit of the season. The double put Bacher in scoring position and freshman Alex Holbert brought him home with a single up the middle that kicked off Titans' second baseman Ty Miller and into shallow left field.
E-town's 2-0 lead was more than enough for Hoffstein, who snagged his first career win, shutout and complete game in the opener. The junior from Landenberg gave up one base hit in each of the second, third and fourth innings, but all runners were stranded by Westminster. The fifth, sixth and seventh frames were all 1-2-3 innings for Hoffstein, who made it through the game in 81 pitches.
Four of the top five players in E-town's batting order registered a hit. Holbert later added a double that capped a 2-for-3 day.
Kyle Allen took the defeat for Westminster (4-2). Allen allowed seven hits and one earned run over five innings. He struck out three.
GAME 2
Pitching has been the number one storyline this week for the baseball team and it continued in game two. Taras Letnaunchyn, a freshman from Boyertown, came within one out of E-town's first no-hitter in five years, before giving up a single to center field. Letnaunchyn didn't let the hit affect him, though, getting the next batter to give the Blue Jays a doubleheader shutout.
Westminster's Nick Grow and Letnaunchyn matched no-hitters through five innings. Letnaunchyn did his part in the top of the sixth, but Grow would run into trouble as he trotted back out to the mound.
Tyler Weary put a ball right over Titans third baseman Ethan Yeager, younger brother of former Blue Jay Ben Yeager, to start off the inning. Gable then got on base when Westminster's shortstop let a ball go right under his glove. Two batters later, Dillon Tagle singled to right field and a diving Weary just glanced the plate with his hand to extend the Jays' lead to 2-0.
Letnaunchyn showed ultimate poise as he began to work in the seventh. Game one starter, Kyle Allen, worked a 2-2 count with the E-town rookie before grounding out to Weary. First baseman Tim Wiand then flew out to Kevin Berkheiser in center. Chris Ross wasted no time, though, hitting Letnaunchyn's first pitch into center field to break up the no-hitter. Yeager was first pitch swinging as well, but a fielder's choice ended the ball game.
Grow allowed just two hits in taking the loss. He walked two and struck out eight. Letnaunchyn struck out the first six batters he faced Wednesday, finishing the game with that total. Sam Heaps was the last Blue Jay to no-hit the opposition, when he blanked Juniata on April 14, 2007. Letnaunchyn's one hitter is E-town's first since Todd Leister allowed one hit against Alvernia in March of 2010.
Matt Reade chipped in with a run batted in on a ground out late in the sixth inning. Gable scored on the play. Berkheiser and Tagle each drew walks in the ballgame and Berkheiser made a spectacular diving grab in center field in the fifth that preserved Letnaunchyn's no-hitter at the time.
The 2012 Spring Break trip wraps up for E-town tomorrow morning when it takes on Bridgewater State (Mass.) in a doubleheader at historic Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, Fla. Holman Stadium served as the spring home of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers up until 2009.