Hopkins Baseball Posts A Pair Of Dramatic 4-3 Wins Over Ursinus

Blue Jays improve to 17-0, the best start in school history.

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Carl Ippolito hit a game-winning home run in the first 4-3 victory over Ursinus Saturday.

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March 27, 2004

Box Score

Baltimore, MD - Johns Hopkins senior Carl Ippolito (Ewing, NJ/Pennington School) hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the seventh in the opener and junior Mike Durgala (Annandale, VA/Thomas Jefferson) singled home the winning run in the seventh in the nightcap as the sixth-ranked Blue Jay baseball team posted a pair of dramatic 4-3 wins over Ursinus Saturday afternoon.

Hopkins improved to 17-0 overall and 4-0 in the Centennial Conference with the two wins, and is now off to the best start in school history. The 1998 team won its first 16 games of the season. The Bears fell to 7-6-2 overall and 2-2 in league play.

Ursinus took the early lead in the opener, as Matt Platco singled home Tommy Herrmann in the top of the first. The Blue Jays would answer in the second when Durgala led off with a single and scored when senior Brian Morley (Tappan, NY/Don Bosco Prep) homered to right field, his third home run in his last three at bats dating back to Friday.

The Bears regained the lead in the fourth as Ted Piotrowicz doubled to right, plating Jon Sheppard and Victor Rodriguez to give Ursinus a 3-2 advantage. Hopkins tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when senior Craig Cetta (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) worked a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and second on a double to center field by junior Paul Winterling (Glenelg, MD/McDonogh).

Ursinus got a pair of two-out singles in the top of the seventh, but Winterling made a backhanded catch of Ryan Regensberg's drive into the left centerfield gap to keep the game knotted at 3-3. Ippolito then won it when he led of the bottom of the frame and deposited a pitch from Bears starter Scott Barr over the left field fence for his first home run of the season.

Hopkins senior Jeremy Brown (Baltimore, MD/McDonogh) moved to 4-0 on the season as he allowed just one earned run on seven hits while striking out eight in seven innings, while Barr fell to 1-1 on the year after giving up four runs on five hits.

The Blue Jays went ahead in the opening inning of the second game when senior Rob Morrison (Malibu, CA/Loyola) drilled a home run to right field, his first round-tripper of the season. However, Ursinus scored three unearned runs in the top of the third to take the lead.

Herrmann was on first with two outs when Eric Shipe hit a ground ball to JHU junior Mike Spiciarich (Syosset, NY/Chaminade) at third base, but Spiciarich's throw to first got by Durgala, allowing Hermann to score and Shipe to reach second. After a walk to Regensburg, Sheppard and Platco each stroked RBI singles to give the Bears a 3-1 advantage.

Hopkins got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Morrison reached on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a fly out by Cetta and scored on a single to right center by Durgala.

Ursinus nearly added an insurance run in the top of the sixth, as the Bears put runners on first and third with two outs. Jerry Rogers then hit a sharp grounder to the right side of the infield, but Hopkins second baseman Tim Casale (West Hempstead, NY/Chaminade) made a diving stop in the hole and Durgala picked his throw at first to end the threat.

The Blue Jays were down to their last out in the seventh with nobody on base before Morrison ignited the rally with a single to right center. Morrison then stole second, but it appeared the Blue Jays' winning streak would end when Cetta struck out on a ball in the dirt. However, Piotrowicz dropped Rogers' throw to first base, and Morrison scored the tying run when the ball trickled into the outfield.

After Cetta stole second Durgala singled up the middle, and Cetta scored on a close play at the plate, barely beating the throw from center by Regensburg.

Hopkins senior Matt Righter (Clarion, PA/Lawrenceville Prep) did not allow an earned run while giving up eight hits and striking out three in seven innings to pick up the win, his second of the season. Mike Lombardo was the hard-luck loser for Ursinus, as he allowed one earned run on six hits to fall to 0-2 on the year.

The Blue Jays step out of conference Monday to play the College of New Jersey in a 3 p.m. game in Ewing, NJ.

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