March 24, 2023

Hopkins slugs their way to a win on Friday

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No. 8 Endicott defeated Brandeis 5-3 in their second game since returning from Southern California with a 5-2 record.
Photo by Steve LaBonte
 


In a game where the offenses reigned supreme throughout the day, JHU cranked out 14 hits and scored runs in six of the eight innings they batted to come away with a 19-11 win over Williams. The Ephs put the Blue Jays in a hole early in the ballgame, taking a 6-0 lead in the top of the first but this was familiar territory for the Blue Jays. After knotting things up at six and adding three for a short lead, the Blue Jays put the nail in the coffin by hanging crocked numbers in both the seventh and eighth inning. 19 was the second highest run output for the Blue Jays this season, second only to 23 against Salisbury. JHU has hung double digit runs on opponents six times this season, and in three straight games.

Oberlin concluded its spring break trip with a 4-3 record, splitting its final two games on Friday afternoon at the Tucson Invitational. The Yeomen earned a 10-8 win over Wesleyan to open the day before falling 6-5 in the finale to Carleton. Oberlin belted out 15 hits in the win over the Cardinals with Yianni Gardner, Jacob Thompson and John Schooner each having three to spearhead the offense. While the Yeomen took it to the Knights just one day ago, today was a different story as untimely hitting and lackluster defense proved to be the difference in the end. Oberlin would go back out in front in the fifth by couldn't protect the lead as two errors in the seventh allowed Carleton to tie the game before they scored two more in the eighth on two hits, a walk, and an error. The Yeomen would threaten in the ninth but fall a run short.

Down 8-3 heading into the bottom of the 7th, Belhaven erupted for nine runs in their final two at-bats to defeat Piedmont 12-10 on Friday afternoon at Frierson Field. The Blazers (12-9, 5-0 CCS) have now won nine straight and have taken their first five CCS contests. The bottom of the 7th proved to be a turning point in the ballgame. With Piedmont seemingly in control and looking to even the series, the Blazers' bats got going, cutting the lead to 10-8. After reliever Colton Sylvester pitched a flawless 8th, Caleb Whittle opened the home half with his first home run of the season to cut the lead to just one. Nick Lucido tied things up with a line drive double down the right field line with the winning run delivered by Nathan Herron.

Elms secure their first home win after AJ Cook was walked in the bottom of the ninth to send home the winning run; Blazers win 10-9 over the Springfield College Pride. It looked over when Springfield put up five runs in the fifth and took a four run lead into the ninth. Springfield proceeded to give up three runs and still had a chance to escape. Walks were their undoing as they walked in the tying and go-ahead runs.

Scranton (9-6, 2-1 Landmark) scored a season-high 20 runs including nine in the fifth and senior RHP Daniel Johnson tossed seven shutout inning as the Royals rolled to a dominant 20-0 victory over the Drew University Rangers (10-5, 1-3 Landmark) in the opener of a weekend series on Friday evening at Volpe Field in Scranton. The 20 runs are the most the Royals have scored since a 22-4 victory at Wilkes on Apr. 13, 2022. For Johnson, the Whitehouse Station, N.J., native scattered just four hits to go along with two walks and eight strikeouts over his seven scoreless innings. He has not allowed a run over his 14.0 IP (two starts).

Thanks to unplayable conditions at Reynolds Field field in St. Paul, the Gusties were treated to their home opener a week early — and they certainly made it count. Allowing only four hits and scoring nine runs on eight hits of their own, the Gusties sent the Eagles home with a 9-0 loss, improving to 4-8 on the season. Luke Siegle picked up the win on the mound, pitching six innings, allowing only three hits, and striking out four. Eight different Gusties tallied the team’s eight hits, led by Hanson (1-4) who picked up two runs and three RBIs, and Schneider (1-2) who picked up a pair of runs and RBIs. Jack Hanson gave Gustavus all the runs they would need when he belted a two-run homer over the fence to get the Gusties on the board in the bottom of the third.

Eastern Nazarene downed Lesley 10-2 Friday evening in the first New England Collegiate Conference tilt of the spring to collect its 11th win in a row. Eastern Nazarene manufactured a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to establish a 2-0 lead and later used a six-run outburst in the fourth frame to widen the margin to 10-0. Spencer Boynton threw his fourth complete game of the spring in his fifth start and improved to 4-0 on the hill. The sophomore struck out a season-high 13 batters while scattering just one hit and zero earned runs in seven innings of action.

No. 10 LaGrange (15-6, 4-0 CCS) would score seven runs over the final two innings to turn a 2-2 tie into a 9-4 victory over Covenant (7-7, 2-1 CCS) in an NCAA Division III baseball game on Friday. While the final score would not be indicative of it, the first six and a half innings would be a pitchers duel with the teams managing just four runs in that time. They would scatter 15 of the game's 25 hits but none would lead to a crooked number on the scoreboard until the top of the four. Joe Ruth would anchor the Panthers' day, going 4-for-5 with a double, triple and three RBIs and Jared Aldridge would go 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored off a homerun. adam Dorn added a 2-for-4 day that included a run while junior pitcher Ethan Fry threw six innings of two-run ball along with five strikeouts. He would get a no decision but sophomore Ashton Shackelford picked up the win to go to 3-0 with just one third of an inning.

Penn State Harrisburg won the opening contest of a three-game weekend series at United East foe Penn State Berks by an 8-1 tally on Friday afternoon. Maddux Ryan homered and drove in five runs to lead the way at the plate, while Fisher Druck earned the win on the mound after throwing six scoreless innings. Dallas Hite had a multi-hit day and Matt Parks scored four runs. Penn State Harrisburg (12-5, 4-0 United East) got off to a good start and never looked back in its road victory over conference foe Penn State Berks (3-9, 2-2 United East)

New Jersey City extended its winning streak against Baruch College to seven in a row on Friday afternoon as the Gothic Knights topped the Bearcats, 13-3, at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. After rookie righthander Mike Napolitano made the first start of his collegiate career — he tossed 2.0 solid innings, allowing one earned on three hits with a pair of strikeouts — senior Julian Fernandez came in and threw 3.0 innings, allowing two earned with four Ks to pick up his third victory of the season for NJCU (6-8), as the Gothic Knights have now won two straight. The Jersey City bats, which combined to score 20 runs in the win on Thursday stayed hot in the 13-3 win today. Four different Gothic Knights notched multiple RBI against Baruch (0-8), led by rookie third baseman Dom Yarson, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI, a double and a stolen base.

In their first ever meeting, Middlebury opened a three-game series with #21 Cal Lutheran on Friday, utilizing timely hitting and a solid pitching performance for a 4-3 triumph over the Kingsmen. Cal Lutheran cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth with a single tally, but relief pitcher Henry Gustavson induced a double play and a flyout to right to secure the one-run victory. Justin Lessing went a career-best seven innings to earn his team-high third win (3-0) on the mound for Middlebury. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks. Gustavson picked up his first career save after recording the final three outs. Jack Stolper tied his career high with three hits, going 3-4 with three singles and scored a run.

Northland sweeps a non-conference doubleheader against Wisconsin Lutheran on Friday by scores of 2-0 and 4-2. Game one featured an incredible pitching performance from Zack Nelson. The senior righty needed only 64 pitches to earn the complete game shutout. He tallied six strikeouts and no walks in the contest. A fifth inning double was the only base runner Nelson allowed. Game two took awhile for the Jacks to punch through as well. Andrew Birko got the start in a scheduled split game. The transfer righty allowed one run on one hit and struck out one his two innings. Anthony Boyle also allowed a run his two innings, while striking out a pair. Trailing by a run in the fifth, Northland sent seven batters to the plate to deliver the big blow that put them in front. Peyton Solberg hammered the first pitch to right center for a double to plate all three runs.

North Carolina Wesleyan's Payne Stolsworth threw a
complete-game two-hit shutout (7 innings) as the
Bishops defeated Southern Virginia 13-0. He walked
two and struck out seven.
 More photos available here d3photography.com
d3photography.com photo by Dave Hilbert

Connor Helm smacked a walk-off two-run single to help Washington & Jefferson pull out a 5-4 extra inning game one win and eventually a doubleheader sweep of Wooster Friday afternoon in Spring Break action at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. W&J won game two by an 8-1 margin to complete the sweep of the Fightin' Scots. Wooster regained the lead a two-out RBI single in the top of the eighth. However, W&J provided a dramatic finish to take the game in the bottom half. Connor Helm stepped up with two on and two out for his first plate appearance of the day. Helm sent a ball to left field that would fall in and score both Sam Schuster and Zach Scherzer and give W&J the 5-4 win. A seven-run second inning propelled the Presidents to the sweep of Wooster. W&J tallied seven runs on seven hits and sent 13 players to the plate in the frame.

Buena Vista opened American Rivers Conference play with a pair of road wins, 11-5 and 6-5, against Dubuque on Friday afternoon. The Beavers trailed early after allowing a pair of runs in the home half of the first. This proved to be no issue for BVU hitters. The lineup capitalized on Dubuque miscues en route to a six-run third inning outburst. Dubuque responded in the fourth inning to narrow their deficit. BVU would add on five insurance runs, but the third inning outburst proved to be all the Beaver's pitching staff needed. The Beavers looked to continue where they left off in game one, but their lineup was held at bay to start the game. Dubuque carried a no hitter into the fourth inning before Evan Taylor doubled into right-center to get BVU going. In the ninth, Joel Garcia responded in a big way with a single through the left side scoring two runners. The clutch knock gave the Beavers a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom half of the final frame. The lead proved to be enough as the Beavers stifled a Dubuque rally attempt, securing a 6-5 victory.

Junior Christian Kreiser went yard to go along with four RBI and three hits as Stevens defeated Delaware Valley 12-7 Friday afternoon in a MAC Freedom contest at Dobbelaar Field. Junior Jack Irby doubled and had two RBI while senior Michael Reyes scored twice and added an RBI groundout for the Ducks, who won their eighth straight to improve to 14-5. It was Stevens fifth straight win in conference play as they improved to 5-2 in the MAC Freedom. The Aggies hit three home runs in the game: two off the bat of Andrew Panfile and one came from Hank Bielen. Delaware Valley dropped to 0-4 in MAC Freedom play this year. The loss also ends a two-game winning streak for the visitors, who fell to 5-8 on the season.

Riley Davis produced his best start of the season and a five-run third inning broke open a close game as LeTourneau took game one of the series with an 11-5 victory over Howard Payne in ASC play on Friday night at Conrad-Vernon Field. Davis (3-1) got the win after going a season-high 6.1 innings and allowing one earned run on six hits. He struck out a season-high six and walked just two while throwing 97 pitches. In the third, LeTourneau sent 10 men to the dish and scored five times to grab a 6-2 lead. Carter Amarantos had a two-run double sandwiched around a Kyle Maysonave bases-loaded walk along with an Andrew Klingenstein sacrifice fly and a Devin Greaff RBI single. That was more than enough run support for Davis on the mound. The lefty allowed just three hits over his final 5.1 innings of work and all six hits allowed were singles.

Behind another strong offensive performance with six extra-base hits, MIT powered to its second straight home victory with a 15-9 non-conference win over Bates on Friday afternoon. The Bobcats put up a four-run third inning as Brandon Biggane homered to left for a three-run shot, followed by a solo homer by Tyler Attal in the next at-bat to take a 6-2 lead. MIT exploded for a seven-run fourth inning as seniors Jake Sonandres and Kyle Sonandres drove in a combined six runs for the 8-6 lead with two outs. Jake launched a three-run homer to left, while Kyle doubled down the right field line to clear the bases. The final run of the inning came on a fielding error as Kyle Sonandres scored to make it 9-6.

Houghton opened conference play with a pair of victories over the visiting Elmira Soaring Eagles, 6-3 and 11-5. Houghton pitchers kept the Elmira bats at bay, while Zach Parr led the offensive attack. Parr turned in another career-day, going 6-for-8 with four doubles, a homerun, six RBI and two runs scored, while the Highlanders rapped out 22 total hits on the day, 10 of which went for extra bases. "These were two big wins for us today, and I was incredibly pleased with how we earned them," said head coach Brian Reitnour. "Our pitchers threw well, we played solid defense, and our bats came alive when we needed them. You can't ask for much more on the opening day of conference play."

Franklin & Marshall (12-9) split its nonconference doubleheader at No. 23 Montclair State (9-2) Friday evening. The Diplomats erupted for a 12-2 victory in game one before falling 8-2 in game two. Highlighted by a three-run home run from Drew Butera in the top of the seventh, F&M plated 10 runs in the final three innings to cruise to a 12-2 victory over the Red Hawks in game one. The Red Hawks got off to a hot start, scoring seven runs in the first two frames to roll past F&M, 8-2, in game two - snapping the Diplomats winning streak at 11 games.

Penn State Abington took the opening game of a three
game series against Wells by the score of 13-10 in UEC
action on Friday afternoon at Alverthorpe Park.
Penn State-Abington athletics photo

Swarthmore posted a 12-0 non-conference road win over Ramapo this afternoon at Jeff Maund Field. The Garnet improves to 9-8 overall while the Roadrunners now stand at 9-6 on the year. The Garnet scored one run in the first and three runs in the second for an early 4-0 lead. They added three in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in both the seventh and eighth innings enroute to a 12-0 victory. Liam Alpern (1-0) earned his first win on the mound for Swarthmore as he halted the Ramapo bats with nine strikeouts while scattering three hits over six complete innings of work. Alex Schoessler, Andrew Moy and Ethan Weiss each pitched one inning in relief for the Garnet with Moy and Weiss each collecting two strikeouts. Swarthmore collected 14 hits in the game as they were led by Austin Burgess who finished 3-5 with three RBI, one run scored and one walk.

For a second straight day, graduate student first baseman Carson Weis delivered a walk-off hit, this time for a 7-6 William Paterson (10-5) 13-inning victory against visiting Manhattanville (5-5). Manhattanville regained the lead in the ninth, 6-5, with a base hit, wild pitch, groundout and RBI-single. The Pioneers had an answer during their next at-bat to extrend the game. Controversy erupted in the bottom of the 12th inning. Austin Jack was hit by a curve ball, forcing across the game-winning run and setting off a celebration by the Pioneers. However, after the Valiants protested, the umpires ruled Jack out for not doing enough to avoid the errant pitch, ending the inning with the teams still deadlocked at 6-6. After a third consecutive three up, three down inning for Manhattanville, Lombardo started the home half of the 13th with a single to left field. The failed pickoff throw sailed into foul territory, and Lombardo scampered to third. The Valiants elected to intentionally walk Lutz and junior right fielder Elliott Hayward, and pulled the infielders and outfielders in with zero outs. Weis still managed to find the hole on the left side, plating Lombardo to finally end the game.

Seniors Kent Wilson and Colby Brouillette each homered as Clarkson opened up the Liberty League slate with a 6-1 victory over Hobart College on Friday afternoon at McDonough Field. Clarkson put up four runs in the top half of the first inning and led throughout Friday's contest. Caleb Doyle finished the game 2-for-4 with two stolen bases. Brouillette was 1-for-2 with a pair of runs scored, and Wilson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two runs batted in, and seven total bases. Tommy DiFranco picked up the win by allowing just a single hit and one walk in 5.2 innings of relief. He and Lewis combined to give up just one hit in the contest. Alex Marancik took the loss for the Statesmen, allowing six hits and three walks but striking out six in seven innings of work.

Coe split a doubleheader against Central on Friday afternoon, winning 13-3 in the opening game before dropping an 11-9 decision in the second contest of the day. Coe was impressive in the opening game, getting 13 runs on 17 hits while holding the Dutch to just three runs on seven hits. Tyce Johnson picked up his third win of the season on the mound for Coe, pitching six strong innings while allowing just two earned runs. Six Kohawks had multi-hit efforts in the opening gamewhile Gavin Guns and Creighton Kreshel led the team with three knocks each. Jake Brosius, who recorded a pair of hits in the game, scored three runs and recorded a team-high three RBI. Coe took the lead early in game two, getting a pair of runs in the first and third innings. Central rallied late in the contest, scoring two runs in the seventh and ninth while exploding for five runs in the eighth. Coe finished with 12 hits in the game but made four errors as the Dutch secured a split in the conference-opening doubleheader.

Senior right-hander Connor Kinney tossed a complete-game shutout Friday evening, lifting Tufts to a 4-0 victory over Chapman in action from Hart Park. Kinney posted his first career complete game and shutout with the victory on Friday evening, as he scattered nine hits while striking out six and walking none. Kinney needed just 111 pitches to move to 2-0 on the season, as he finished the game with just one earned run over the first 15.1 innings of work this spring. It didn't always come easy in the start for the Rancho Sante Fe, California native, who grew up just 90 minutes from Chapman, Kinney would get into a groove, retiring seven in a row before a single in the fourth inning. The complete-game shutout was the first for a Tufts pitcher since Brendan McFall tossed a nine-inning shutout against Trinity College on May 2, 2021.

The Rochester Yellowjackets took game one by a score of 3–2 in game one of a doubleheader with Ithaca. UR fell to Ithaca in the nightcap by an identical 3-2 score. In game one, Rochester took a 3–0 lead into the bottom of the ninth before the Bombers rallied for two runs. The Bombers got the winning run to second base, but a double play ended the game with the bases loaded. It was a pitchers' duel between starters Kyle Lambert and Nolan Sparks. Sparks earned the win, allowing five hits over seven innings with six strikeouts. Lambert allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts over six innings. The Yellowjackets struck early in the nightcap as they put up two runs on three hits in the top of the first innings but could not add on in subsequent innings. IC took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out line drive single to the gap by Ethan Rothstein with Colin Dunn on second base. Colin Leyner finished off his compete game in the seventh by inducing a pop out to shortstop. After giving up two first innings runs, Leyner only allowed three hits the rest of the way and threw 88 pitches over the course of seven innings for his first win of the year.

Hope College went extra innings in pursuit of a sweep of Wheaton College (Ill.) on Friday. The Flying Dutchmen played nearly the equivalent of a third seven-inning game, too. Hope settled for a split, taking Game 1, 6-1, but losing Game 2, 6-5, in 15 innings. In Game one, senior Shane Hykin delivered his best start of the season on the mound. The right-handed pitcher from Ada, Michigan struck out 11 and yielded one run over six innings. In Game 2, the teams traded eight, scoreless extra innings before Wheaton catcher Tyler Weiner delivered a one-out, walk-off single in the bottom of the 15th.

Home is certainly where the heart is for Luther. After playing 15 games on the road, the Norse officially played their first games of the 2023 season on their home field. In fact, Luther could not have asked for a better homecoming, as the team swept Nebraska-Wesleyan University in its American Rivers Conference doubleheader Friday afternoon. The Norse used a dramatic eighth inning comeback to upend the Prairie Wolves 3-2 in game one before dominant pitching and impressive hitting lead to a 6-3 victory in game two. Nolan Klocke pitched a perfect top of the tenth in the opener, striking out the side to set up the walkoff for Luther's offense. The top of the order delivered. With two outs and no one on, Aiden Michna blasted a double to left center, prompting Nebraska-Wesleyan to intentionally walk Joshua Matanich. The move paid off for the Norse, as Gabe Atkins delivered a walk off single to clinch a 3-2 victory for Luther. In the nightcap, things got a bit hairy for starting pitcher Harry Blum in the top of the seventh. After grooving through six innings of flawless work, the senior gave up a lead off single to open the inning before a fielding error by the right fielder resulted in runners on the corners with now outs. Two singles later, the Prairie Wolves cut the lead to 6-2 before a passed ball made it 6-3 with only one out on the board. Blum, though, was seemingly unphased, as he struck out Nebraska-Wesleyan's seven hitter for the second out of the game before a fly out to right secured the 6-3 win for Luther.