May 3, 2008

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - Behind eight runs in the third inning the #13 Johns Hopkins baseball team defeated Franklin & Marshall 16-6 on Saturday morning in Centennial Conference Tournament play. The Blue Jays (32-5) won their third straight contest and advance to Sunday's championship game.

Hopkins struck for two quick runs in the bottom of the first as senior catcher Tony Margve (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) had an RBI double while senior third baseman Todd Emr (Westwood, NJ/Saddle River Day) had an RBI groundout.

After adding a single run in the bottom of the second, the Blue Jays broke the game wide open with eight runs in the bottom of the third. Emr had an RBI double in the inning and after the Blue Jays loaded the bases with no outs, senior DH Isaac Katz (Merion, PA/Lower Merion) came through with an RBI single. That was followed by RBI singles from junior second baseman Dan Merzel (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton) and senior shortstop Nate Adelman (Redwood City, CA/Menlo School. The Blue Jays would bat around in the inning as Emr got his second RBI of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

The Diplomats got one of those runs back in the top of the fourth as Mark Minutaglio led off the inning with a double and came around to score as the Blue Jays got a double-play ball. Franklin & Marshall would add another run in the fifth inning.

Hopkins got a single run in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead 12-2 after five complete innings of play.

Franklin & Marshall would try to get back into the game with four runs in the sixth. The big blow of the inning came as Patrick O'Reilly crushed a three-run home run to right field to make it a 12-6 game.

The Blue Jays would add to their lead in the bottom of the seventh with four more runs. After a one-out walk, sophomore right fielder Brian Youchak (Pittsburgh, PA/Vincentian Academy) drove his team-leading eighth home run of the year over the wall in right field. The Blue Jays would add two more runs in the inning on walks with the bases juiced.

Senior Joe Zaccaria (Manhasset, NY/Manhasset) picked up his fifth win of the year after going six plus innings and surrendering six runs. He struck out five and did not walk a batter. Senior Pat Steffee (Wentzville, MO/Marquette) tossed the final three innings to pick up the save. Mike Duranti was tagged with his first loss of the season for Franklin & Marshall. He gave up 10 runs in two plus innings.

Youchak went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs. He extended his hit streak to 19 games in the victory. Pietroforte was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI, he has now hit in 24 consecutive games. Emr extended his hit streak to 16 games after finishing 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Hopkins returns to action on Sunday, May 4 in the Centennial Conference Championship game. First pitch of Sunday's championship is set for 12:00 p.m. The Blue Jays will face Haverford, who beat Muhlenberg in its first contest of the day and used a ninth inning run to down Franklin & Marshall 10-9.

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