Box Score
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Ross Hempel (Marriotsville, MD/Glenelg) went the distance on the hill for the fifth time in five starts this spring to improve to 4-1 as Gettysburg defeated McDaniel 4-1 in the Centennial Conference (CC) baseball opener for both teams on Thursday.
Austin Ball (Farmingdale, NY/Hills East) and Joe Bonyai (Torrington, CT/Hotchkiss School) led the Bullets (8-11, 1-0 CC) on the offensive side with 2-for-5 days. Bonyai added a double and run scored.
Scott Deitrich recorded the only two-hit performance for the Green Terror (3-5, 0-1 CC), including an RBI double in the fifth to score McDaniel's lone tally of the contest.
Playing in front of the home crowd for the first time this season after having the game pushed back twice due to field conditions, Hempel went the distance for the first time in a nine-inning contest, scattering six hits and striking out four.
Michael Donohue (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) helped out his battery mate, drawing a one-out walk in the second.
With two out, Mark Campo (Arendtsville, PA/Biglerville) dropped down a bunt, but a throwing error allowed Donohue to come around to score from first for the 1-0 Gettysburg advantage.
Phillip Green found the gap in right-center for a one-out single in Green Terror fifth.
After a flyout to center, Deitrich laced the first pitch he saw to the warning track in right-center to score Green and knot the game at 1.
Bonyai and Brian Pernice (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown) led off the home sixth with back-to-back singles before Jimmy McNamara (Webster, NY/Webster) hit into a fielder's choice.
An errant throw on the attempt to turn a double play allowed Bonyai to keep heading down the line and put McNamara on second with the Bullets leading, 2-1.
After McDaniel starter Jimmy Dahlgren notched his ninth strikeout of the contest, he hit Dave Olson (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) and walked Campo to load the bases, and end his day.
On in relief, Tom Marshall walked Gettysburg's No. 9 hitter Chase Straub (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) to bring McNamara home for a 3-1 Bullet advantage, but a bases-loaded strikeout – his lone K in 2 1/3 innings – got the Green Terror out of trouble.
Olson led off the bottom of the eighth with a double down the left-field line.
A Straub single put runners at the corners with one out before a Ben Carey (Colchester, CT/St. Bernard) RBI groundout set the final margin.
Hempel retired the side in order in the top of the ninth, including Gettysburg's second double play of the contest.
Gettysburg completes the home-and-home series at McDaniel on Friday. Game time is 3 p.m.
Score by Inning |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
- |
R |
H |
E |
McDaniel (3-5, 0-1 CC) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
Gettysburg (8-11, 1-0 CC) |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
x |
- |
4 |
7 |
2 |
Jimmy Dahlgren, Tom Marshall (6) and Justin Bilohlavek; Ross Hempel and Michael Donohue. WP: Hempel (4-1). LP: Dahlgren (0-3). S: none. SO-BB: Dahlgren 9-5, Marshall 1-2; Hempel 4-2. 2B: Scott Deitrich (M), Joe Bonyai (G), Dave Olson (G).
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