Slow, but steady, stream of Township runs shuts the lights out on JPM, 16-1

After handling business in their non-section stretch of the schedule, the Blue Streaks returned home on Wednesday evening to host the J.P. McCaskey Red Tornado in their second meeting of the season. Game time temps settled in the upper 70’s for Township’s first home game under the lights this year.

Colin Fitzgerald (4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 K) stepped to the mound for his first start since taking a no decision in his last outing against L-S. A quick 1-2-3 first inning against the top of McCaskey’s lineup gave Township the opportunity to strike first. Leadoff walks to Kyle Musser and Drew Sassaman set up 2 runs for the Blue Streaks on a fielding error off a Fitzgerald ground ball to 3rd. Singles from Ryan Jones and Dylan King pushed 2 more runners across to open up a fast 4-0 MT lead.

Fitzgerald allowed two McCaskey baserunners in both the 2nd and 3rd innings, but kept the Red Tornado scoreless through 3. A barrage of hits in the bottom of the 3rd helped Township bring home 8 runs and blow open the lead 12-0. RBI hits for Sassaman, Fitzgerald, Evan Clark, and Ryan Flury as well as a handful of defensive errors contributed to the scoring outburst.

The Red Tornado snuck a run across the plate in the 4th thanks to a bases-loaded wild pitch, but Fitzgerald maintained control and held onto the 12-1 lead into the bottom of the inning.

Township wrapped up this game in the 4th after loading up the bases with walks to Caden Brubaker and Jesus Perez and a HBP to Fisher Druck. Jack Armstrong roped a SAC fly to the left fielder to make it 13-1 before Perez scored on a wild pitch during the next AB. Flury walked for the second time to put the winning runner on base for the Blue Streaks and Sophomore Gavin Glass dropped a double in right-center to walk off the 15-run victory, 16-1.

Now 15-0 overall and 6-0 in Section One, Manheim Township travels to Hempfield on Friday afternoon to try and sweep the Black Knights in the regular season for the first time since 2010.