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(05/07/12 5:00am)
Before junior second baseman Adam Weiner stepped up to the plate this past Friday against Washington College, he had never hit a home run before. The Newark, DE native came up with one out and the score tied at two in the bottom of the ninth inning when he proceeded to send a high fastball way over the left field fence - much to the amazement of the crowd, the Blue Jays and himself. W h a t happened next was a b s o l u t e "Wein-sanity" and p e r h a p s the most excitement and fun the team has had all season. The Blue Jays couldn't wait to bombard Weiner in celebration as he rounded third and jumped on home plate. Weiner's clutch home run has been just a sliver of his strong play during the season. He also added a single in the game against the Shoremen, who were second-place behind the Blue Jays entering Friday's affair, to go 2-for-4 on the afternoon. For the season, Weiner is hitting .311 with eight stolen bases. All this considered, in addition to his fun-loving, team-first attitude, has earned Weiner Athlete of the Week honors. The News-Letter (N-L): What was going through your mind after you hit the homerun? Were you planning on t h r o w i n g your helmet into the air? A d a m W e i n e r (AW): I was only t h i n k i n g one thing: r o u n d i n g the bases. I threw my hands up into the air immediately because I simply couldn't believe what had just happened. For the rest of my life, I will never forget turning around third base to see my teammates going wild at home plate. In that moment I thanked God and tossed my helmet into the air instinctively. Then it was all about enjoying the win with the team. N-L: What do you think you did differently in this particular at-bat to hit your first career home run? AW: I think for me, every at-bat before I get into the box is slightly different. I remember [senior co-captain] Aaron Borenstein coming up to me in the on-deck circle, while I was putting my batting gloves on, and telling me to just have some fun- which made me smile and relax. Once I'm in the box, though, I like to think that, in terms of what I control, every at-bat is exactly the same. N-L: What does "Weinsanity" mean to you and how did it get started? AW: From my understanding, "Wein-sanity" was started by [a number of my teammates], including Scott Barrett. To me, it means playing simply to have as much fun as possible with my teammates. N-L: As a Physics and Mechanical Engineering double-major, what are some ways that you balance baseball and your tough academic schedule? AW: I think balancing my schedule is easy because I honestly love what I'm doing and am really grateful for what has been given to me. It also doesn't hurt to be surrounded by so many awesome family members, teammates and friends. N-L: The baseball team travelled to Phoenix, AZ from March 16th-March 24th. What was your favorite part of the spring break trip? AW: The trip to Arizona was by far the best experience I've had in college. I enjoyed every minute of it, but the highlights for me were sharing laughs with my roommates [baseball and football senior standouts Sam Eagleson and Sam Wernick], the team dinner at Bucca di Beppo, and the drives through the Arizona desert on the way to the fields. N-L: Any summer plans yet? AW: I will be interning this summer in Nuremberg, Germany for Siemens AG at their Drive Technologies headquarters. I will be working on a project to design a hybrid drive system to power the pumps used to deliver water to large agricultural sprayers. My internship is partially funded by the Vredenburg Scholarship
(05/07/12 5:00am)
With wins over then number-five Syracuse and top-ranked Virginia in the past week, the Hopkins men's lacrosse team grabbed the number one spot in both the InsideLacrosse/Nike Media Poll and the Coaches Poll for the 104th time in program history. However, the dynamic University of North Carolina attack, led by freshman standout Jimmy Bitter, was relentless against a Hopkins defense that perhaps was poised for a letdown after two emotional victories the previous week. As a result, Hopkins came out flat against the Tar Heels at the Konica Minolta Big-City Classic, letting the Tar Heels take a quick 4-2 lead through most of the first quarter. While junior goaltender Pierce Bassett made several key stops, the defense could not handle the quickness of UNC's Bitter who had two goals in the first 15 minutes. The freshman routinely forced the Hopkins defense to send multiple defenders his way in an attempt to slow down his drives to the net. His performance was reminiscent of the play of his older brother, Billy Bitter, who had four goals against Hopkins in last season's matchup. Despite the difficult start for Hopkins, two quick goals in the final two minutes of the opening frame allowed the Blue Jays to tie the game up at 4-4. Senior team captain Chris Boland made a triumphant return from a shoulder injury in the season opener, which caused him to miss seven games. The sixth year senior made his mark early, scoring and assisting on his team's third and fourth goals, respectively. In the second quarter, the Blue Jays were unable to capitalize on this momentum. UNC Sophomore R.G. Keenan dominated at the face-off "X," going 18- 25 on the day and allowing the Tar Heels to work multiple possessions against the Blue Jay defense, the large difference in timeof- possession ultimately wearing the defense down. Hopkins was out-shot 22-2 in the second quarter, and the discrepancy showed on the scoreboard. By the time the two teams were heading for the locker room, the Tar Heels had outscored Hopkins 4-0 in the quarter for a 4-8 lead. While the four goal deficit would certainly be a challenge to overcome, head coach Dave Pietramala must have done something to fire his team up during the halftime break. After a dismal second quarter, the Blue Jays took the field in the third looking more like the team that had run past Syracuse and Virginia on the way to an 8-0 record. Goals from sophomore Brandon Benn, junior Lee Coppersmith and sophomore Greg Edmonds brought the Blue Jays within one of UNC at 7-8. With more possession and an outstanding effort from the defense, Hopkins was able to fight their way back against a Tar Heel team looking to clip the wings off the top ranked Blue Jays. file photo The Blue Jays return to action Thursday night at 7 PM against Albany. #3 Men's Lacrosse toppled by Tar Heels Women's tennis rolls to sweep over Bears file photo Sophomore Hailey Hogan was the reigning conference player of the week. The comeback was short-lived though, as UNC would use a 3-5 fourth quarter to down the Blue Jays 9-13 in front of a record setting crowd of 25,934 people at the Metlife Stadium. The loss was the first regular season loss for the Blue Jays dating back to last season, a run of 15 straight games. After the game, in reference to the relentlessness of the Tar Heels Pietramala told InsideLacrosse. com "[t]hey played like a hungry team." If any good news can come of the game, it is that after missing nearly the entire season, Boland was able to not only return, but also play well. As the oldest player on the team, his presence on the field is invaluable for his play and his leadership abilities. Furthermore, the loss offers an opportunity for the team to finally face some adversity in what has been a relatively smooth 2012 season. While no loss can ever be considered a good thing, this may allow the team to find areas for improvement and to gain some necessary experience for the post-season. The Blue Jays will look to return to form tonight against Albany University on Homewood Field.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
The Blue Jays bested the McDaniel Green Terror this past Tuesday, achieving a 9-5 victory, the result of a combination of strong Hopkins play, as well as several McDaniel errors. The Blue Jays have moved to 13-8-2 on the season, and 4-1 in the Centennial as the Blue Jays enter their second week of Conference play. Contrasting Hopkins's strong start, scoring nine runs in the first four innings, McDaniel started the game very poorly, setting a tone that would be prevalent for almost the entire game This tone was reflected in a first-inning error, which allowed the Blue Jays to scoot ahead 2-0. In the second inning, a passed ball saw junior second baseman Adam Weiner reach scoring position, and he eventually scored to extend the lead to three runs. Two more runs were scored in the third inning off of sophomore Mike Denlinger's first career home run, giving Hopkins a comfortable lead before the Green Terror had even found solid ground. The rally culminated in a four-run fourth inning, which included two errors, one from both the McDaniel right fielder and shortstop. Senior starting pitcher Alex Eliopoulos, The News-Letter's Athlete of the Week, pitched well, allowing only two hits and two walks, while striking out three hitters. In the seventh inning,McDaniel scored five runs. Sophomore Ed Bryner replaced Kahn to end the inning at a much closer 9-5, where the score would stay for the remainder of the game. "I like what [Head Coach Bob] Babb established in Arizona, our motto of win[ning] one game every day," said junior shortstop Kyle Neverman in response to the win. "If we do that," he continued, "we'll be in great shape and good position going into the conference tournament. . .and we'll be where we want to be." Kahn summed up the team's mentality well, saying "Once we get running on full cylinders and start clicking in all aspects of the game, we're going to have the potential to do great things and we'll certainly be the team to beat." Junior Hank Sanders outlined the team's goals, saying that they "have to to beat McDaniel on Thursday and sweep Swarthmore in order to get closer to our goal of winning the conference and going to the playoffs." If the team is to realize these ambitious goals, though, they are going to have to cut out their weak spots, reflected for a large part in the seventh inning this Tuesday. Regardless, as their recent successes indicate, the Blue Jays can most definitely continue to win. These few weak spots are invariably surrounded by much more significant strengths, which will hopefully come to the forefront of their play before the postseason. The Jays will face Mc- Daniel again Thursday at 3:30 p.m. on the road.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
In the past few months, the Hopkins women's tennis team has faced many formidable opponents including top ranked Williams, Tufts and Emory. While the Lady Jays did face several difficult matches and a few defeats, they have become a formidable team themselves, recently moving to the eighth spot in the Division III rankings. The Blue Jays secured their seventh win of the season last Saturday against fellow Centennial Conference school, Ursinus. Mastering both the singles and doubles rounds in their matches against the Bears, Hopkins came out with a sweeping win of 9-0. Starting off the matches were doubles partners junior Andrea Berlinghof and freshman Macie Wilkins, who pulled out an 8-0 win. Senior Courtney Boger, freshman Kaitlin Pfisterer, freshmen Shannon Libaw and Stephanie Rettig then followed with back-to-back sweeps of 8-0. Pfisterer, who cinched the 9-0 win for the Blue Jays, commented that their match-up against the Bears comprised a rather unique set of circumstances. "It was the first time this season that the girls' and boys' tennis teams were sharing the courts," Pfisterer said. Despite the extra action going on around the Lady Jays, Pfisterer, who's decision to come to Hopkins was greatly affected by its great tennis program, noted that she felt the Ursinus match was a great testament of how strong their team has become. "During this match everyone who was on the court played great and stayed focused, and those who weren't on the court at the moment were on the sidelines cheering the others on," the freshman said. "We also had a great fan section compiled of friends and family that came to support us." With very few loses in any of the singles games, the Jays came out strong all around with most girls losing only one or two games. Freshman Shannon Herndon stood out, clearing all games with a 6-0, 6-0 win. With such a positive outcome so far this season, Pfisterer stated that the Lady Jays hope to continue to strengthen their team and improve their record. "Currently, our team is ranked very high nationally and we hold the highest ranking this program has ever had. So far, we have had a great season and great results - especially against top teams. We lost to Williams 6-3, Emory 5-4, Washington and Lee 5-4, and we have beaten Tufts 8-1 and Dennison 5-1. These results show that we are right there with all of the top teams in the country, and we have a great chance at NCAA's. "As a team, I think our goals are to give everything we have and to pull through one or two more individual matches against the top teams so we can continue to improve and move forward." It is worth noting that Williams, Emory, Tufts and Dennison are all currently ranked above Hopkins, showing that even when facing the most competitive of teams, Hopkins is a force to be reckoned with. In a sport that is rather individualized, Pfsiterer states that she finds teamwork and camaraderie to be quite important. "Tennis is a very unique sport in that it has both individual and team aspects. Growing up playing tennis, we all have learned and grown to love tennis as mostly an individual sport. However, once we reached the college level, we were introduced to the team aspect of the sport and that has made the game that much better. "There are about 15 girls on the tennis team all with different majors, personalities and backgrounds, but we all share important things: the love for the sport, the desire to do our best and our supportive nature." Pfsiterer further commented that the frequent practices, games and travel help to bring the girls together. "I can personally state that when I am in a close match, just looking over and seeing my teammates on the next court or nearby cheering me on, makes me push myself to the next level as I have the desire to win not only for me, but for them as well." As for personal goals Pfisterer keeps it short and simple. "My personal goal for the season is just to do everything and anything I can do to help my team become better and win the most matches we possibly can." Keep an eye out for Hopkins's women's tennis in their next match against Washington College on Apr. 7.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
Standing at six-foot-six, senior right-handed pitcher Alex Eliopoulos has been a towering force all season long for the Hopkins baseball team. Named as a preseason second team All-American by d3baseball. com and a top 10 Division III prospect by PerfectGame. org, the nation's largest baseball recruiting service, Eliopoulos has made good on that billing by starting 2012 with a 4-0 record and a sparkling 1.02 ERA in seven starts. Furthermore, the senior from Arlington, VA leads all Hopkins pitchers with a .217 batting-averageagainst, 47 strikeouts, and 44.1 innings pitched. For his third win of the season, last Tuesday March 28 against Dickinson, Eliopoulos threw a complete game, six-hitter, while striking out a career high 11 in the 3-2 win. Despite throwing 157 pitches in the game, Eliopoulos started against Centennial Conference foe McDaniel College a week later looking to earn his fourth win of the season. When asked about his workload, Eliopoulos said, "I threw a lot of pitches in the Dickinson game, but I was ready to go for McDaniel. The coaching staff did a good job to prepare me for the game, and I felt like I was ready to pitch from the start." Eliopoulos shut the Green Terror down through five innings, allowing only two hits and no runs while walking two and striking out three. He needed just 51 pitches to carve through their lineup. Behind the arm of The Newsletter's Athlete of the Week, Hopkins went on to defeat McDaniel 9-5 in front of the home fans at the JHU B a s e b a l l D i a m o n d . With the win, the Blue Jays i m p r o v e d to 13-8-2 on the season and 4-1 in the Centennial Conference, while d r o p p i n g McDaniel to 1-4 in conference play. With his five scoreless innings this past Tuesday, Eliopoulos extended his scoreless earned runs innings streak to 25, dating back to his Mar. 9th start against Stevenson. Eliopoulos credits his sinker and slider for his strong pitching. "Typically, my favorite count to throw my slider is a 3-2 count which is pretty unconventional, but I love that pitch. I like the challenge of having to throw a strike with that pitch in that count and most hitters aren't expecting it. I trust myself to throw it and let it do what it's supposed to." For his career, Eliopoulos has been a consistent performer for Head coach Bob Babb. While Eliopoulos played minimally as a freshman, he burst onto the stage in his sophomore season with a 10-1 record and a 2.83 ERA. He followed his tremendous sophomore campaign with an equally impressive junior season, leading the team with a 6-3 record while dropping his ERA to 2.38. If the start of 2012 is any indication, Eliopoulos' final season could be his best. However, his success, he says, isn't the result of focusing on any one thing. "I focus on working hard and getting better. That's my approach everyday. I also try to visualize everything that I do," the senior said. What's more, Eliopoulos may be able to continue his baseball career after graduating with a potential opportunity to tryout for Team Greece and play in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. If he makes the team, it would be fitting for him to be taking his play to the next level of competition. According to junior shortstop Kyle Neverman, Eliopoulos has "been phenomenal just a man among boys." As the Blue Jays look to defend their conference crown and achieve an unprecedented fifth straight title, the team will rely on Eliopoulos to come up big throughout the season. And with coach Babb's motto of "win one game everyday" in mind, the senior star will certainly be ready when his number is called.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
The Hopkins women's lacrosse team hit the road to Nashville, Tennessee to take on the 15th ranked Commodores of Vanderbilt University in American Lacrosse Conference action. The 19th ranked Lady Blue Jays came into town fresh off a 9-8 nail-biting win against the Tigers of Princeton University. The game was the 14th in a series that dates back ten years, with the 'Dores leading 8-5 including six straight heading into the Sunday afternoon match-up of NCAA women's lacrosse powerhouses. The Commodores again would come out on top and send the Lady Jays home unhappy with a 11-14 loss in a tightly contested game that never saw a cushion larger than three goals for either squad. Vandy came out hot in the opening ten minutes of the first half, jumping out to a two goal lead on a couple of unassisted tallies, only to see the Lady Jays, led by senior Rachel Ballatori, come storming back with three consecutive goals to take the lead halfway through the first half. Ballatori capitalized on a pair of free position shots to tie it up before picking up the hat-trick on a feed from sophomore Taylor D'Amore, the first of her three assists on the afternoon. The Lady Blue Jays would hold this lead for the next five and a half minutes, only to see it evaporate with a five minute 4-0 run by the Commodores that gave Vanderbilt the lead at 6-3. The Lady Jays again showed their resiliency and managed to net three goals in the span of 1:11 to knot the score at six apiece with five minutes to play in the first half. Vandy, however, seized the momentum going into halftime as senior All-American Ally Carey scored the second goal of her hat-trick. The 'Dores held on to a 7-6 lead after the first 30 minutes, and the Blue Jays would never again draw closer than one goal despite trading several tallies throughout the second half. The Lady Jays drew the score close at 12-11 with 9:13 to play in the game on Colleen McCaffrey's teamleading 25th goal, however, they would be held scoreless until the final whistle, as the Commodores would stretch their lead to 14-11 with two goals scored by Kacie Connors. Headlining the day for the Lady Blue Jays were Ballatori (5 G), McCaffrey (3G), D'Amore (1 G 3 A) and senior Candace Rossi (3 A). The loss dropped the 19th ranked Blue Jays to 7-3 (0-1 ALC) on the season, while Vandy improved to 6-4 (1-2 ALC). D'Amore leads the Lady Blue Jays in points this sea-son with 42 on 22 goals and 20 assists while starting all ten games this season. She has also been shooting at a 0.512 shooting percentage as well as capitalizing on six free position goals in eight opportunities, tops on the team. D'Amore, along with McCaffrey and Rossi, have been named to the watch list for the American Lacrosse Conference Player of the Year, while D'Amore also has been mentioned on the 2012 Tewaaraton Watch List (women's college lacrosse's highest individual honor), along with senior defender Alyssa Kildare. Head Coach Janine Tucker and her team will have little time to dwell on this loss, as they will look to quickly rebound and continue their late season gauntlet in which six of their last seven games are against teams in the top 15 in the country. Next up is a match-up against the 5th ranked Gators of the University of Florida. The Gators are one of the most impressive offensive clubs in the country, as they have outscored their opponents by more than 150 goals this season in 14 games. "Florida is a very fast team and has a very effective attack," junior midfielder Courtney Schweizer said, and the Lady Blue Jays are planning to defend against this by adding an extra defender and playing only two midfielders. In addition to the extra defender, the Jays will look to face guard U of F's explosive attackers, relying less on sliding to help and more on consistent one-onone match-ups. "Extra experience on the defensive end of the field should help to slow them down in transition, and also help us to effectively clear the ball upfield," Schweizer went on to say. The junior Psychological and Brain Sciences major from Wilmington, DE will be an important part in the Lady Blue Jays success against the Gators for her versatility in both defending and scoring, as she has taken on more of an offensive role this season with her career high 15 goals through the first ten games. "Ultimately, if we execute our defenses and offenses that have been specifically tailored to utilize our strengths while exploiting Florida's weaknesses, we could and should control the outcome of the game to be in our favor." The American Lacrosse Conference tilt between the Gators and the Lady Blue Jays is set to begin on Saturday, Apr. 7th at 1:00 PM on historic Homewood Field. Be sure to come out and support women's lacrosse as the season really heats up and watch them try to tame the Gators and send them back down south with a loss.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
The Hopkins women' s track and field team traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina to partake in the Raleigh Relays this past Friday. Sophomore Holly Clarke and freshman Hannah Eckstein represented the Blue Jays in the event. Clarke and Eckstein placed 10th and 14th in the 10,000-meter event. This was against steep competition, matching up against Division I opponents. For the six mile, 376 yd race, Clarke ran a time of 36:10.39 and Eckstein followed closely behind coming in at 36:33.82. In Division III, these scores took the number two and three spots in the nation. Their performance on the national stage this past weekend in North Carolina was truly a remarkable accomplishment for the two Blue Jays. The Blue Jays returned to action the next day in College Park, Maryland to compete in the Maryland Invitational. Many Division I teams were competing in the event, including teams such as Maryland and the Naval Academy. The Blue Jays competed well on the day and many set personal records. Freshman Lindsay Sanborn started the Jays off with a decisive victory in the 5,000 meter race, finishing with a time of 18:32.92. This was Sanborn's best race to date in a Blue Jay uniform as she beat her next closest runner by over 100 meters. Freshman Abby Flock also ran well, finishing fourth in the event. In the 800 meter run, junior Annie Monagle placed third in the event with a time of 2:15.05. This time ranks her first in the Centennial Conference and sixth on the national Division III level. Freshmen Ingrid Johnson and Paige Boehmcke competed in the 1500 meter race and posted their best times to date with runs of 4:55.76 and 4:56.78, respectively. In the javelin throw, Emily Swenson recorded a throw of 38.48 meters, which landed her a second place finish in the event and in the lead in the Centennial Conference. Swenson also performed well in the shot, throwing for a distance of 11.75 meters, tops in the conference. Right behind Swenson was junior teammate Alana Merkow who threw for 11.64 meters. She ranks second in the Centennial Conference. In the pole vault, Kelsey Bower had a score of 10' (3.05) and placed fourth in the meet. The Blue Jay sprinters had a strong performance in College Park. Freshman Kelley Hussey posted a score to ranks her second in the 100 meter (13.14). Sophomore Chloe Ryan and junior Amelia Vallenilla tied for fourth. The Hopkins men's track team was also in action this past week at College Park. The Blue Jays also faced stiff competition from Division I opponents but were able to have many good early season scores. Freshman Ryan Walsh made a statement in his high jump performance (6'2" (1.88)), landing him in first place in the Centennial Conference, but only good enough for sixth place in the event. Sophomore Jon Hickman also found himself in first place in the Centennial Conference but only finished in eighth for the discus event. The Blue Jays also set a conference leading time in the 4 X 400 meter relay at 3:34.39. The distance runners for the Blue Jays all showed their abilities. In the 1500-meter run, Julian Saliani (4:04.24), sophomores Wes Butler (4:04.47), Robert Ferris (4:04.80) and senior Brett Schwartz (4:05.19) all had impressive times. It is clear that the team has the ability to stack up against some of the top Division I programs in the country. Not only did the Blue Jays post scores that were atop of the Centennial Conference, they were able to amass top rankings amongst some Division I opponents. The Blue Jays can carry this conference into their next event in Millersville, Pa to compete in the Millersville Metrics and Combined Events Challenge on Apr. 6th.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
This past Thursday, the Hopkins baseball team traveled to Westminster, MD, to take on McDaniel for the second time this season. Beating the Green Terror in their previous meeting, the Jays were looking to complete the season sweep. In a dramatic and thrilling ninthinning finish, the Blue Jays did just that. Senior pitcher Sam Eagleson was on the bump for the Blue Jays when the squad jumped out to an early lead. Sophomore outfielder Mike Denlinger got things started for the Jays with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to score junior infielder Kyle Neverman. The Jays tacked on three more in the second en rout an early 4-0 lead over the Green Terror. Despite getting down early the opposition did not go passively away. McDaniel scored a total of five runs in the third inning to take the lead. Yet, the Blue Jays would a n s w e r e d back by tacking on two more runs in the later innings on behalf of a sacrifice fly by junior infielder Adam Weiner and a double by senior catcher Aaron Borenstein. The seesaw type game did not end here - the Green Terror once again answered and scored two runs in the eighth to battle back and take a seven to six lead. The Blue Jays were thus down to their last two outs in the ninth inning and down a run. Junior Jared Frydman commented on the outlook going into the last inning. "We had to flip the switch. It was now or never." Junior infielder and Sports Editor Mike Kanen led the comeback, drawing a one out walk and senior Aaron Borenstein singled to left field to put two runners on base. After the bases were loaded with another single, sophomore first baseman/outfielder Richie Carbone launched a double to plate the tying and the go ahead runs. The Blue Jays then tacked on more runs to exit the inning with a huge 13-7 lead. Senior closer Aaron Schwartz shut the door in the ninth, meanwhile, picking up his third win of the season. After the trying series against McDaniel, the Blue Jays were back on the field this past Saturday to take on Swarthmore in a double-header at Homewood field. In the first game, Senior ace pitcher Alex Eliopoulos was on the hill for the Blue Jays. Eliopoulos was dominant in his outing, going eight strong innings and striking out seven while yielding only three runs. Eliopoulos once again gave head coach Bob Babb a strong outing. The senior has been a rock all season long for the Blue Jays and one of the biggest reasons for the team's success. The Blue Jays were ahead in the game for much of the afternoon but the Garnet came back in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game, scoring one in the sixth and two in the seventh. The Blue Jays answered back scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning. After Neverman led off with a double the hits became contagious. With the lead at 6-3, the Blue Jays did not look back. Senior closer Aaron Schwartz came into the ninth inning and retired the Garnet one-two-three to end the first game. In the second game, sophomore pitcher Tyler Goldstein took the mound for the Blue Jays. The game was close through the first four innings, with the Jays leading 3-1, but then in the fifth the Hopkins offense came alive pouring on seven runs. The bases were loaded for Carbone when he delivered with a double down the left field line to plate Junior first b a s e m a n Jeff Lynch and Bor e n s t e i n . D e n l i n g e r then came to the plate and took the pitcher deep on the first pitch he saw. This was the third Blue Jay home run in the game and put the Jays up 10-1. The game finished with a score of 13-3 as the Blue Jays completed a commanding sweep of Swarthmore. The Jays offense ignited this past weekend on behalf of some outstanding individual performances. Lynch went 6-8 on the day with four RBIs. Delinger, Kanen and Neverman also had four RBIs on the day. The Blue Jays traveled to Gettysburg, PA, to take on the Bullets on Tuesday. Eagleson was dominant on the bump in the early going for Hopkins, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning. However, in the fifth, the Bullets were able to plate a run and take the lead. In the top of the sixth, the Blue Jays came right back scoring three runs to take the lead. Kanen hit a homerun, his team-leading fourth of the season, to propel the offense in the inning. Kanen's play earned him the Centennial Conference Player of the Week Award. Going into the seventh, the Blue Jays tacked on four more runs to take a comfortable lead over the Bullets. The Jays never looked back, scoring at least two runs in each of the final four innings of play. Once again, senior Aaron Schwartz came in to close the door on the Bullets, but this time he went the final two innings. Schwartz's performance this last week in multiple games earned him the honor of DIII Baseball Relief Pitcher of the Week. The Blue Jays won their fifth straight game and will complete regular season play with the Bullets on Friday at Hopkins.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
The Hopkins men's tennis team placed no doubt in opponents' minds that they are poised for their seventh straight conference title this season. Now ranked 16th in the National Division III polls, Head coach Jamie Engle's team has won three straight matches. recently rolling over conference competition; Ursinis this past Saturday and Franklin & Marshall this past Tuesday. The Blue Jays came into Saturday's match against the Bears already with two straight shutouts in conference play and followed suit on Saturday. Hopkins jumped to an early lead with the help of freshmen Ed Corty and Noah Joachim in doubles play as they won, 8-0. Next, junior Andy Hersh and freshman Sam Weissler continued to keep the foot on the pedal and won, 8-1. Senior Jacob Barnaby and sophomore German Gonzalez began to see some resistance in the third and final doubles match, but were able to pull out an 8-6 victory. Off to a quick lead, the Blue Jays continued to play fundamentally sound and aggressive in singles play. Freshman Tanner Brown only lost one game (6-0, 6-1) in his singles match, while freshman Jensen Reiter matched Brown's play with a 6-1,6-0 win of his own. Hersh and Weissler then won to put Hopkins ahead, 7-0. David Greenbaum was next on deck, outscoring his counterpart 12-1. The match came to a close when sophomore Joonas Karjalainen won in a shutout. Hopkins would quickly improve to 5-0 in the conference with a win over Franklin and Marshall Tuesday afternoon. Barnaby and Brown led off for the Blue Jays with a clutch opening doubles victory, 8-2. Juniors Morgan Dauer and Jeff Kamei then won the second game, 8-3. F&M bounced back with a win in the finals doubles match, but Kamei quickly put the Blue Jays back into the driver's seat with a 6-0, 6-0 win to start singles play. Already up 3-1, Weissler then won 6-1, 6-1. Barnaby clinched the big win for the Blue Jays with a 6-1, 6-4victory and Brown and Hersh continued to dominate the match with wins at singles. The Blue Jays return to action on Saturday, Apr. 7, as the team will take on Centennial Conference opponent Haverford.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
The 2012 Major League Baseball season began last week in Tokyo, and every team will play its first game by this Friday. With this in mind, it's time to roll out The News-Letter's annual MLB preview. A year ago, I picked the Red Sox over the Brewers in the World Series, harping on their respective off-season additions as the keys to what I thought would be their 2011 title runs. And while I'm not straying from that line of thinking again this year, the 2012 World Series will revolve more around the smaller, less media-frenzied moves than the major free-agent signings of Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and Yu Darvish that transpired this winter. AL EAST The Winner: New York Yankees. Even in baseball's best division - yes, the AL East still holds an edge over the vast improved AL West and NL East divisions - it's tough to argue against the Bombers repeating as division champs. Fresh off a 97-win campaign a season ago, the Yankees addressed their most glaring need this offseason by trading for behemoth right-hander Michael Pineda and signing Hiroki Kuroda from the Dodgers. They also re-added pinstripe faithful Andy Pettitte, together giving New York what I consider baseball's most productive offseason. New York posted baseball's best run differential in 2011 and hopes for continued growth from Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner. The key will be the health and production of the Yankees' older moneymen - Derek Jeter (age 38 in June), Alex Rodriguez (age 37 in July) and Mark Teixeira (age 32 next week) - who need to contribute like they did in their youth. Knockin' on the door: Toronto Blue Jays. To avid baseball fans, the Blue Jays are well known as the best fourth-place team in baseball. Toronto has finished fourth each of the last four seasons, and that's probably where they will fall again this year. It's not because they're not trying, though. General manger (GM) Alex Anthopolous has done a terrific job in his two years at the helm of the organization, becoming a Canadian wunderkind in deals for Jose Bautista, Yunel Escobar, Brett Lawrie, Colby Rasmus, Sergio Santos and others, while also shipping Vernon Wells and Alex Rios elsewhere. He also began to revitalize the Blue Jays once nearbarren farm system, developing the game's largest scouting department, and it has paid dividends through the draft and trades like the Roy Halladay swap. The Jays have proven and promising arms,such as Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow, and, although they won't land Joey Votto as expected after this season, they have several pieces in place to contend soon. Breakout candidate: Matt Moore, LHP, Rays. AL CENTRAL The Winner: Detroit Tigers. This division is, without a doubt, the easiest to pick. The Tigers are head and shoulders above everyone else in the division, featuring the Central's top rotation, headlined by reigning Cy Young and MVP award winner Justin Verlander and best lineup, led by Miguel Cabrera and newcomer Fielder. And, although I'm not a huge fan of closer Jose Valverde - his K/9 numbers have decreased every year since 2006, and his WHIP has increased each of the last three seasons heading into his age 34 summer - there is something to be said for a perfect, save percentage, last year. The continued maturation of Doug Fister, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello, in addition to resolving their serious defensive questions, will be vital for another Mo- Town celebration. All in all, Detroit has the right pieces to contend for a World Series title in 2012. Knockin' on the door: Kansas City Royals. Going into last season, the Royals' farm system was widely considered one of the best in the history of baseball. The club landed a record nine players on Baseball America's top 100-prospect list. Later in the summer, Kansas City began to see the fruits of several impressive draft classes, as youngsters Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and many others were called up to the Bigs. Since then, GM Dayton Moore has tried to lock up several pieces of this core, beginning with Billy Butler and outfielder Alex Gordon, who finally started to fulfill the promise that once made him the second overall pick in 2005. At the same time, Moore has avoided bad contracts, such as the ones he gave to Gil Meche and Jose Guillen just a few winters ago, something few others in the division have done. Just as important as Kansas City's youth movement, they are just one of two teams in the Central not bogged down by poor long-term deals like the ones handed to Joe Mauer and Adam Dunn last offseason and Fielder months ago. The other, the Indians, have far from the minor league riches that the Royals possess. Yes, things are looking up in KC. Breakout candidate: Jason Kipnis, 2B, Indians AL WEST The winner: Los Angeles Angels. I've tossed and turned in my sleep over this division, mulling the differences between the Halos and the two-time reigning American League champion Texas Rangers. But here's why I think the Angels trump Nolan Ryan's herd: pitching wins championships. Don't look now, but the Angels staff - Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, CJ Wilson and Ervin Santana - rivals the Phillies' and Giants' as one of the most talented corps of arms in baseball. As for the Rangers, their rotation is a question mark. They lost their ace, Wilson, and are now counting on Japanese import Yu Darvish, former closer Neftali Feliz, and young lefthanders Derek Holland and Matt Harrison to shoulder a very heavy load. All four of these arms could have breakout campaigns, but Darvish and Feliz will be rookie rotation mates, and the Southpaws are coming off 2011 seasons, in which they both greatly increased their workload - a troubling sign for pitchers 25 years old or younger. Both teams have good, if not great, offenses - I'd take Texas' because Los Angeles is so right-handed - but the difference in pitching will be the difference in the division. Knockin' on the door: Seattle Mariners. I would like to pick the Rangers here. After all, they have one of baseball's richest farm systems, showing time and time again that they are willing to invest in young international talents. But GM Jon Daniels and Texas aren't sneaking up on anyone. Instead, the Mariners just might be. While every other team in the AL West made a big free agent splash this offseason, the Mariners traded for young DH/catcher Jesus Montero and their young pitching should have them back in contention in due time. It won't be this year, and it might not be the year after, but when Albert Pujols begins to age, the heat of Texas wears on the Rangers' young arms, and the A's continue to wait around for their new ballpark, the Mariners pitching staff of Felix Hernandez, Danny Hultzen, Taijuann Walker and James Paxton will becoming into its own. Around the same time, Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak, Montero and prospects Nick Franklin and Francisco Martinez should give Seattle enough juice to chase down the division's powers. Breakout candidate: Ackley, 2B, Mariners. Wild Cards: Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox: Tampa has holes behind the plate and at shortstop, but their young pitching should keep them in the playoff hunt. Boston was the best team in baseball from May- September last year, even without healthy or normal performances from Kevin Youkilis and Carl Crawford, so I expect them to rebound and battle the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. MVP and Cy Young: Adrian Gonzalez and Jered Weaver. NL EAST The Winner: Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are far from the shoo-in they were a year ago when they built one of baseball's greatest rotations on paper; the Big Three of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels largely lived up to the hype. While those three should dominate once again, Philadelphia's offense is older and even more injury-prone than it was a year ago. Ryan Howard, Placido Polanco and Chase Utley will all start the season on the disabled list, with the season outlook of Howard and Utley extremely cloudy. All said, though, the postseason race will come back to pitching, and even if the $50 million doled out to Jonathan Papelbon this winter may have been a steep price, the Fightin's should feel secure in who they have on the mound in almost any inning. Because of this, it's tough to believe that Phillie fans won't be loving October baseball. Knockin' on the door: Washington Nationals. While it's tough to be a sleeper pick when you play in the nation's Capital and own two of the most highly touted young players in the game in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, the Nats most certainly are a sleeper. Washington hasn't finished .500 since 2005 when they were 81-81 and still played in Montreal. Yet I, and National manager Davey Johnson, expect D.C. to witness postseason baseball this year. Right now, I have them as the National League's sixth best team, just behind the San Francisco Giants solely because their pitching staff is less proven. However, Strasburg coupled with former Division III college baseball star Jordan Zimmermann give Washington a pair of flamethrowers coming off injuries. They also added strikeout machine Gio Gonzalez, by utilizing their bountiful farm system, and Edwin Jackson in the offseason, giving the squad a dangerously talented rotation. The bullpen, led by closer Drew Storen, is also ultra talented, and Ryan Zimmerman's offense should get a boon when Harper is called up in June. First in war, first in peace, last in the National League is a thing of the past. Breakout candidate: Zimmermann, RHP, Nationals. NL CENTRAL The Winner: Cincinnati Reds. Not even two weeks ago, I would have been tempted to call the Reds' offseason the best in the National League. And it still might be because the Reds have a very legitimate chance to advance deep into October this year. Their deal to land Mat Latos, a young, team-controlled potential ace for a host of prospects, whose futures in Cincinnati were blocked by Joey Votto and rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco, was the defining addition of the division's winter. And their one-year deal for closer Ryan Madson was a steal. But then Madson had Tommy John surgery last week, and the Reds risked the future of the franchise with a gargantuan ten-year $225 million extension for Votto on Monday. Even with these circumstances, Cincinnati is primed for the playoffs because of their unquestioned depth around the horn and in the rotation; already their bullpen depth is being utilized, as Sean Marshall will step into the Reds' closer's role for Madson. This, combined with the losses of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder in the division and three teams that have virtually no shot at October, have the Reds in better shape than any of their counterparts. Knockin' on the door: Chicago Cubs. Okay, not entirely. But when else am I going to talk about my beloved Cubbies in a positive light this year? The Cubs farm system isn't all that great - it's highlighted by outfielders Brett Jackson and Matt Szczur and infielders Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez, but it lacks a true impact arm - and the team is still hampered by the monster contract given to Alfonso Soriano under the Jim Hendryregime. Thus, 2012 seems like a lost year. However, the addition of Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod to the Lovable's front office should make the club relevant again before long. Already, Epstein and Co. have unloaded Carlos Zambrano's albatross salary and ego, foregone the temptation to splurge on any big name free agents like Pujols or Fielder as well as not resign Aramis Ramirez, and managed to trade for Rizzo, the club's best bet for a longterm solution at first-base since Mark Grace. Although things may spiral on-the-field in the near future, the Cubs' new-look baseball operations and scouting departments have the wherewithal to turn things around in due time. Breakout Candidate: Mesoraco, C, Reds. NL WEST The Winner: Arizona Diamondbacks. Surprisingly, few people are as high on Arizona heading into the season as I am. And, although I hear the worries as much as the next guy - predicted down years from pitchers Trevor Cahill and Ian Kennedy in addition to offensive catalyst Ryan Roberts - the Diamondbacks are still the most talented team in the division. San Francisco did not upgrade their offense well, the Dodgers were limited by financial constraints, the Rockies have little to no pitching, and the Padres are rebuilding. Thus, Justin Upton and the D-Backs will prevail, not by default, but because of their young core and rotation depth. Knockin' on the door: San Diego Padres. Shipping Latos to Cincinnati may give the wrong impression to Padre fans, but GM Josh Byrnes does have a plan in mind: to rebuild through the farm system. The Padres have exceptional depth in the Minor Leagues, rivaled only by the Diamondbacks in the division, which should bring the Friars back to relevancy before long. The additions of former UMiami standouts Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal in the Latos trade boosted a system already led by outfielder Rymer Liriano and right-hander Casey Kelly, part of the Adrian Gonzalez-trade, and the duo should make an impact as soon as this year. Breakout candidate: Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Rockies. Wild Cards: Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants: Atlanta, like Boston, will rebound from their collasal collapse late September because of their staggering rotation depth. The Gigantes return plenty of pitching but the Nationals, Marlins, Brewers and Cardinals will be knocking. They need to prove they can hit. MVP and Cy Young: Justin Upton and Roy Halladay. World Series: New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
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If you're more familiar with words like "chiaroscuro" and "vorkapich montage" than ones like "Canadian egg roll" and "power play," then ditch the lacrosse game this weekend and check out the 14th annual Maryland Film Festival. Well, you don't actually need to skip the lacrosse game because the festival runs all weekend from May 3 to May 6. And even if you don't appreciate esoteric film lingo, there's sure to be something you will appreciate in the 50 feature films and 75 short films that will be screened at the nearby Charles theatre (1711 North Charles Street). The festival will feature narratives, documentaries, animation and experimental and hybrid films. I can't tell you exactly what the last two mean, but based on the celebrity filmmakers who have previously attended, Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker"), Jonathan Demme ("The Silence of the Lambs") and David Simon ("The Wire"), everything is sure to tickle even the most discerning visual fancies. Local legend John Waters, will also be making an appearance to host a screening of one of his favorite films, "Wanda". Other highlights include a 3-D screening of the 1953, black-and-white musical, "Those Redheads from Seattle". Tickets only cost $10 per screening so hop on the JHMI this weekend, escape the drunken debauchery of homecoming alumni trying to relive their glory days and expand your hipster, film-noir vocabulary. For schedules, film synopses and tickets go to www.md-filmest.com.
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