Township uses improbable 12-run inning to claim victory over Central York, 12-2

Making up a game that was postponed earlier in the season due to poor weather and sloppy field conditions, Manheim Township played host to Central York on Saturday afternoon. Ryan Jones (5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 6 K) got the start for the Blue Streaks in hopes of keeping their perfect season alive for another day.

Central York struck early in the first with a leadoff double and pair of singles to put two fast runs on the board. Township couldn’t respond in the bottom half quickly going down 1-2-3. With almost no offensive action coming from either team in the 2nd or 3rd innings, Central York carried a 2-0 lead into the 4th. 

After a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out from Jones and Ryan Flury in the top half, the Township bats finally woke up and made this a game in the bottom of the 4th. A leadoff double from Drew Sassaman (his 5th on the year) got things started. A bunt single from Colin Fitzgerald put runners on the corner for Evan Clark to single past the SS and make it only 2-1 Central York. Another perfectly executed bunt single from Jones loaded the bases for Dylan King to grab a full-count walk and force the tying run across the plate.

Still with the bases loaded, Flury slashed a hard ground ball under the glove of the 2nd baseman to give Township their first lead on the afternoon, 4-2. JT Weaver cleared the bases immediately after with a triple to deep left field and Township made it 6-2 (still with no outs in the inning). Additional singles from Fisher Druck, Kyle Musser, Fitzgerald, and Jones pushed Township to double digits on the scoreboard before King hammered a ball over the left field fence for a 2-run homer that set up MT with a 10-run lead after 4 innings, 12-2. And just to confirm that you read all of that correctly… 12 runs on 11 hits over 15 at-bats in Township’s half of the 4th.

Jones, now with a huge lead, made quick work of the next three Central York batters to close this game out after 5 innings thanks to the 10-run mercy rule. With the massive comeback win, the Blue Streaks now sit at 9-0 on the season and look to continue dominating their schedule at Conestoga Valley on Monday afternoon.