Blue Jays grind through two doubleheaders

In their double-header against Franklin & Marshall, careless play in the field was the Blue Jays’ downfall, as 10 Hopkins errors (five in each game) made way for eight Diplomat runs over the afternoon.

F&M took advantage of early Blue Jay mistakes, scoring five runs in the first two innings to eventually down Hopkins 8-3 in game 1. Freshman David Iacobucci finished 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs to lead the Diplomats, while junior RHP Brandon Theriault threw four scoreless innings in relief to seal the win.

Senior RHP Tyler Goldstein took the bump for the Jays, quickly finding some hot water. After allowing a man on with a single, 3B Craig Hoelzer made an error on the ensuing bunt. Goldstein forced a strikeout and groundout from F&M to take control in the top of the first. However, a single to right-center scored both runners, putting the Diplomats up 2-0.

The Jays answered back in the bottom of the first, as a single down the left field line from Mike Denlinger gave the senior his 100th career hit. Sophomore Kyle Gillen scored from first on the play, bringing the Jays to within one.

F&M only managed one hit in the top of the second, but another pair of throwing errors by the third baseman gave the Diplomats baserunners with no outs. A double and two groundouts gave F&M three more runs, and JHU found itself in a 5-1 hole before getting off the field.

Hopkins managed to add a run in the second and third innings, but it was not enough as the Jays couldn’t muster any runs and only four hits for the remainder of the game, while the Diplomats tacked some insurance in the seventh and eighth to secure the 8-3 win.

Goldstein finished the day throwing 6.2 innings, allowing nine hits but just one earned run, striking out three and walking none.

Junior righthander Jacob Enterlin started the second game for the boys in blue, allowing a single to the Diplomat’s two hitter, before an error by second baseman Kyle Gillen put another on. After a double steal, with two outs in the top of the first, another error by Gillen scored a pair of runs from second and third to give F&M another early lead.

Playing from behind, the Jays were able to answer in the bottom of the first on another RBI single from Denlinger to score Gillen who had singled to lead off the game for JHU.

With the game still 2-1 in favor of F&M in the bottom of the eighth, Hopkins broke through as senior John Maxwell walked. Freshman Thomas Gordon pinch ran, stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error by the catcher before scoring on an RBI single from junior Colin McCarthy in the ensuing at bat. A sacrifice fly from freshman Conor Reynolds later on in the inning brought the go-ahead run in for the Jays, and put them three outs away from their first conference victory of the year.

Up 3-2 with two outs in the top of the ninth, Hopkins needed just one more out to win. With runners on first and second, Enterlin gave up a double deep into right center to score both runners, putting the Jays down 4-3. Hopkins got a leadoff single from sophomore Raul Shah in their comeback attempt in the bottom of the inning, but the next three Jays were sent down in order.

Enterlin finished the game throwing 8.2 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits, striking out nine while walking just two.

Hopkins baseball split its second Centennial doubleheader of the season Sunday afternoon with Haverford, falling 5-1 in the day’s first game with a 7-6 win in the second. The Jays halted their four-game slide with the victory and now stand at 13-6 on the season (1-4 CC).

Sophomore RHP Carter Burns racked up a career-high 10 strikeouts in game one, but Hopkins surrendered five runs between the eighth and ninth innings, as Haverford came from behind to top the Jays 5-1 in game one. The Jays scored their only run in the second inning of the pitcher’s duel, as senior Richie Carbone scored on a SAC fly from Reynolds, holding the lead until the eighth inning.

With one out in the top of the eighth, a throwing error by the shortstop Reynolds gave Haverford its first runner of the inning. After Burns hit a batter to put the Fords on base, a fielder’s choice moved the runner to third.

A walk loaded the bases for Haverford, before a double to deep left center scored three runs to put the Fords ahead for the first time all afternoon. The Fords tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth, and Hopkins could not answer in the bottom of either inning.

The Blue Jays managed only four hits against Haverford’s Tommy Bergjans, who finished with eight strikeouts in eight innings.

Burns finished after eight innings, giving up three runs (zero earned) on three hits, striking out 10 while walking two.

Senior RHP Zach Augustine used a pickoff and strikeout to deflate a charging Haverford team in the top of the ninth and secure a 7-6 victory for the Blue Jays in game two. Hopkins was hot early, tallying seven runs in the game’s first three innings to pull ahead of the Fords. A five-run eighth inning put Haverford right back in it, before sophomore RHP Ross Lazicky and Augustine combined to get the final four outs for the Jays.

The Hopkins lumber was thumping in the bottom of the first, as a two RBI double from Denlinger gave the Jays their first runs of the game. A single from junior Jake Rogers brought another run across the plate, and the Jays led 3-0 going into the top of the second.

They scored another run in the second, and a three-run third further padded the lead, putting the Jays up 7-0 until the fifth, when Haverford notched its first run of the game on a sacrifice fly.

On the mound, sophomore RHP Trevor Williams allowed only four hits through seven innings. It wasn’t until the eighth inning that the Fords broke through, notching five runs to cut the lead to 7-6.

After retiring the side in the bottom of the eighth, the Jays found themselves three outs away from their first conference victory. Lazicky forced a flyout before giving up a walk, making Coach Babb call on sidearmer Augustine for the final two outs. After a steal of second, Augustine used an alert pickoff move to catch the runner off balance. Reynolds swiped the tag on the retreating baserunner to give Hopkins two outs. Augustine caught the final batter looking to strike him out. Augustine notched his first save of the season with the strikeout, and gave the Jays a much-needed win after starting 0-4 in Conference play.