After a delayed start to the season because of cold and snow, the Blue Jays opened up their season with a sweeping pair of daytime doubleheaders.
In Saturday’s opening game against Rivier, the Jays jumped out to an early lead when in the bottom of the second inning, they pounded out five consecutive hits, scoring three runs on RBIs by sophomore Pete Siciliano, freshman Conor Reynolds and Sophomore David Rauber.
After a perfect third inning for both squads, Rivier answered in the top of the fourth, tallying three runs on four hits off senior hurler Tyler Goldstein to tie the game. However, the game didn’t stay tied for long, as the Jays scored another run on one hit, leaving one on base to take a 4-3 lead. Sophomore Carter Burns came on in relief for Goldstein, pitching a perfect fifth to bring the Jays back to the plate.
With Hopkins nursing a 5-3 lead in the in the bottom of the eighth, sophomore Kyle Gillen drilled a two-run dinger over the right field wall, adding some insurance heading into the top of the ninth. Junior Justin Dreschel closed out the ninth, striking out two and popping out the third, clinching the 7-3 victory for the Jays.
Hopkins didn’t slow down in the second game of the day, with junior Colin McCarthy starting the rally with two outs in the first inning with a single to short. After stealing second base, senior captain Richie Carbone knocked his first double of the day, driving in McCarthy to give the good guys a 1-0 lead. The next batter, sophomore shortstop Raul Shah punched a single into center field to score Carbone from second, putting the Jays up by two.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Carbone and Shah did it again; after Carbone ripped another double into left field, Shah followed him with another single up the middle, making the score 3-0.
A strong but brief start from sophomore Trevor Williams (4.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 run(earned), 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts) had Hopkins up 3-1 through four, but the offense stalled, and the Raiders tied up the game with single runs in the fifth, and seventh innings. However, the Blue Jays battled back as McCarthy’s two out RBI single in the seventh put them up 1.
A leadoff triple in the top of the eighth put the go-ahead run at the plate for Rivier. However, junior righty Tom Harper promptly slammed the door, striking out the side to leave the runner on third. In the ninth, Harper closed it out to earn his first save of the season, allowing just one base runner on an error by the third baseman Siciliano, before striking out the last batter swinging to end the game.
On Sunday, powered by big bats and a deep staff, the Blue Jays won another two games against SUNY Oneonta.
The Red Dragons jumped out to an early lead in the first, with sophomore Dylan Stamile doubling down the right field line to bring in Matt Mastroianni. The Blue Jays answered back in the bottom frame, as freshman Ryan Orgielewicz smacked his first collegiate RBI on a double to right field.
In the top of the third, Oneonta rallied with two out and none on, using a walk and two singles to go ahead 2-1. Junior Jacob Enterlin worked himself into a jam, but with the bases loaded a few batters later, he forced a groundout to end the inning. Hopkins answered right back however, as McCarthy singled to right center in the bottom of the inning to drive in sophomore JR Charles who had reached base on a single and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice.
In the fourth, Hopkins broke the game open by batting around on their way to scoring seven runs, making the game 9-2. From there, the Jays offense took the reins, adding a run in the fifth, and four runs in both the sixth and seventh to lock up the game. Five different Hopkins batters had at least one RBI, while McCarthy led the team with two hits, the RBIs and a run.
In the second game of the day, Hopkins rode the right arm of sophomore Colin Friedman, who allowed only two hits and one earned run in six strong innings, striking out four while walking just one. Friedman, who made news in High School for pitching three consecutive no-hitters, one of which was a perfect game, was perfect through three. In the bottom of the third, the boys in blue and black benefitted from a fielding error by the Oneonta first baseman which allowed senior Mike Denlinger to score from second, making the score 1-0. In the bottom of the fifth, a pair of RBIs from Denlinger and freshman Joe Conlon made the score 3-0.
Oneonta finally broke through in the top of the sixth when freshman Casy Kies singled, stole second and third, and was then brought in by another single by Mastroianni. However, after allowing the runner to advance to second on a wild pitch, Friedman promptly picked him off trying to steal third, before forcing a groundout to end his day.
In the bottom of the eighth, with Hopkins up 4-1, the Jays loaded the bases, allowing freshman TJ Gordon to steal home to add some insurance. Denlinger later singled in the inning to bring home McCarthy and give Hopkins a 6-1 lead heading into the ninth.
The Red Dragons were not done yet, scoring twice in the top of the ninth to cut the Hopkins lead to three with only one out. Head coach Bob Babb called upon Justin Drechsel to close things out, and after letting up a single to his first batter, the junior from Springfield, VA delivered, striking out a pair of Oneonta pinch hitters to earn his first save of 2014 and help Hopkins seal the 6-3 victory.
The Blue Jays will look to continue their unbeaten streak when they head down to Fort Myers, Fla. to play in 10 games in nine days.
