May 16, 2008

Box Score

DANVILLE, VA - Senior center fielder Rob Pietroforte (Brooklyn, NY/Berkeley Carroll) scored four runs as the Johns Hopkins baseball team handed Piedmont a 13-6 defeat in the NCAA South Regional Tournament elimination game. Sophomore Greg Harbeck (Glen Ridge, NJ/Montclair Kimberley Academy) threw 4.1 scoreless innings of relief to lead the Blue Jays (36-6) to the victory.

Hopkins advances to the final day of the NCAA South Regional Tournament. The Blue Jays needed two wins on Saturday to capture the regional title.

Piedmont put two runs on the board in the top of the first to grab the early lead.

Hopkins answered with a single run in the bottom of the first before breaking things open with six runs in the bottom of the third. With one out sophomore right fielder Brian Youchak (Pittsburgh, PA/Vincentian Academy) got the Blue Jays' first hit of the game with a single to right. After Pietroforte roped a double to center field, senior third baseman Todd Emr (Westwood, NJ/Saddle River Day) stroked a single through the right side to plate both runners. Senior shortstop Jonas Fester (Dallas, TX/Syosset (NY)) and senior catcher Tony Margve (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) each came through with RBI singles before senior first baseman Matt Benchener (Newtown, PA/Holy Ghost Prep) roped a double to right center to score two more runs.

Piedmont put three runs on the board in the top of the fourth to make it a 7-5 game. The Blue Jays, however would answer with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the stanza. Senior left fielder Jon Solomon (Fairfax, VA/Riverdale Baptist) drew a walk with the bases loaded to force in a run while Benchener added an RBI single and Margve had a sacrifice fly.

Each team added a single run in the fifth to make it an 11-5 game through five complete.

In the sixth, Hopkins added to its lead as senior second baseman Nate Adelman (Redwood City, CA/Menlo School) doubled home Benchener.

The Blue Jays added their final run of the contest in the seventh as Pietroforte singled and stole home to secure the 13-6 victory.

Harbeck picked up his second win of the year on the hill. He had entered the game with two outs in the fifth to relieve senior Brian Duddie (San Diego, CA/Mt. Carmel) and threw 4.1 innings giving up no runs on three hits. Duddie went the first 4.2 innings and gave up six runs.

Pietroforte and Emr were a combined 6-for-8 on the day with four RBIs and six runs scored. Pietroforte went 3-for-3 with four runs scored and a walk. Emr finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. He is just three hits away from tying the school's single-season hits record at 81. Benchener was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two doubles. Fester was 2-for-4 while Margve finished with two RBIs.

The Blue Jays will face Lynchburg tomorrow at 12 p.m. If Salisbury defeats Lynchburg on Friday night, the Blue Jays will need wins over both teams to capture the title. If Lynchburg defeats Salisbury, the Blue Jays will need two wins over Lynchburg to capture the title.

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