Box Score
BALTIMORE, Md. – Three different Johns Hopkins' players hit home runs to lead the 21st-ranked Blue Jays to a 9-4 win over visiting Gettysburg in Centennial Conference (CC) baseball action on Monday.
Rob Sanzillo and Gary Rosenberg each recorded two hits, including one roundtripper, for Johns Hopkins (23-6, 10-4 CC), who built a 9-0 lead en route to completing the season sweep of the series.
Brian Pernice (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown) recorded two hits, a home run and two RBIs for the Bullets (17-17, 10-6 CC), who scored all four of their runs with two outs in the final four innings.
With two out in the bottom of the first, Rosenberg took advantage of a strong wind to right, lifting a check-swing line drive over the wall to stake the Blue Jays to a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Mike Spiciarich and Dave Montegari drew back-to-back two-out walks before Sanzillo bounced a ball over the fence in right for a ground-rule double to plate Spiciarich.
Ian Christie followed with an infield single, scoring Montegari from third for a 3-0 advantage.
Rosenberg led off the third with a walk before Eric Nigro went deep to stretch the lead to 5-0.
Mike Durgala followed with a double. After a steal of third with two outs, Montegari notched his lone RBI of the day with a single up the middle.
With two away in the fifth, Rosenberg doubled to deep center and Nigro drew a walk before Durgala cleared the bases with a double to center.
Sanzillo made it 9-0 with a two-out home run in bottom of the fifth.
With two out in the top of the sixth, Joe Bonyai (Torrington, CT/Hotchkiss School) singled through the right side and Pernice was hit by a pitch to set up first and second.
Matt Sweeney (Bethesda, MD/St. Anselms Abby School) followed with a single up the middle to score Bonyai and break up the shutout.
Mike Donohue (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) added another single to load the bases, but the Blue Jays got a ground ball to get out of the frame.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ben Carey (Colchester, CT/St. Bernard) was hit by a pitch to start another two-out rally.
Austin Ball (Farmingdale, NY/Hills East) followed with a single and Bonyai drew a walk to load the bases.
Pernice and Sweeney went back-to-back through the right side to score Carey and Ball, respectively, and pull Gettysburg within 9-3.
Pernice's home run – his second in as many trips to Baltimore and first of the season – over the right-field wall with two out in the top of the ninth set the final margin.
Jason Thayer pitched seven innings for Johns Hopkins to pick up his fourth win of the season, striking out nine, including the side twice, along the way.
Ross Hempel (Marriotsville, MD/Glenelg) went the distance for the eighth time in nine starts this season for the Bullets. He struck out seven, falling to 4-5 on the year.
Gettysburg returns to action at home against Susquehanna on Tuesday. Game time is 4 p.m.
| Score by Inning |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
- |
R |
H |
E |
| Gettysburg (17-17, 10-6 CC) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
- |
4 |
10 |
1 |
| Johns Hopkins (23-6, 10-4 CC) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
x |
- |
9 |
10 |
0 |
Ross Hempel and Michael Donohue; Jason Thayer, Andrew Bail (8) and Rob Sanzillo. WP: Thayer (4-1). LP: Hempel (4-5). S: none. SO-BB: Hempel 7-4; Thayer 9-1, Bail 2-0. 2B: Gary Rosenberg (J), Mike Durgala 2 (J), Rob Sanzillo (J). HR: Brian Pernice (G), Rosenberg (J), Sanzillo (J), Eric Nigro (J).
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