March 19, 2008

Box Score

MESA, AZ - Senior Rob Pietroforte's double in the ninth inning knocked in the winning run and helped lift the #10 Johns Hopkins baseball team to an 8-5 victory over Williams College on Wednesday afternoon in Mesa, AZ. The Blue Jays (6-3) have now won two in a row as Pietroforte finished a triple shy of the cycle on the afternoon.

The two teams had entered the ninth inning all tied up at 5-5. In the top of the ninth, senior Jonas Fester drew a one-out walk to start the rally. Pietroforte then doubled him home with the go ahead run and senior Todd Emr followed with a double of his own to score Pietroforte. After the Ephs got the second out of the ninth inning, junior Ryan Biner came through with his second double of the game to score Emr.

Duddie would allow a walk and a single in the bottom of the ninth but that was all the Ephs would get as the Blue Jays claimed the victory.

Pietroforte got things rolling for the Blue Jays in the top of the first with a two-out RBI single to plate sophomore Brian Youchak, who had doubled earlier in the frame. After starter Joe Zaccaria set Williams down in order in the bottom of the first, Hopkins went back to work in the top of the second. Biner had an RBI double in the second stanza and a two-out double steal saw Biner cross the plate. Hopkins led 3-0 after two innings of play.

Pietroforte tacked on another run for the Blue Jays in the top of the third inning with a one-out home run to left field.

Williams mounted a comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out in the inning, the Ephs got a walk and a pair of singles to load the bases. Robin Allemand then tied the game up as his hit went over the right center fence for a grand slam. Williams would take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth after getting a run off of senior Brian Duddie, who had come in to relieve Zaccaria to start the inning.

Hopkins would tie the game in the top of the seventh as Pietroforte reached on a one-out walk. He would then steal second and after a walk to Emr, take third on the double steal. On the play, Williams attempted to throw Pietroforte out at third and the ball sailed into left field allowing him to score.

The Blue Jays looked to be in trouble in the bottom of the eighth as Williams got a one out triple from Al Mathews. Duddie was able to get a line drive that Emr snared and turned into a nifty double play as Mathews had strayed too far off the bag.

Duddie picks up the win in the contest after throwing the final four innings and allowing just one run. The loss went to Tom Coleman, who surrendered the three runs in the ninth.

Pietroforte finished the day 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs. He also finished with three stolen bases in the contest and now has seven in seven tries this year. Biner went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, a run scored and the two doubles. Emr and senior Tony Margve were the other two Blue Jays with multiple hits on the day. Emr finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI as well as two stolen bases. Margve was 2-for-5 with a run scored while Fester's fifth inning double extended his hit streak to 19 games dating back to last season. The Blue Jays as a team were 8-for-9 in stolen base attempts during the game.

The Blue Jays will be back in action on Thursday, March 20th with two contests. Hopkins will face Springfield College at 10:30 am MST and Wisconsin La Crosse at 2 p.m. MST.

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