Druck dominates on the mound in 5-inning no-hitter while Blue Streaks’ bats stay hot against McCaskey, 10-0

After an 11-1 victory on opening day against the visiting Cocalico Eagles, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks played host to their neighbors from Lancaster City, the J.P. McCaskey Red Tornado, on Wednesday afternoon. Township won both contests against McCaskey in 2021 en-route to their Section 1 crown and perfect regular season record.

Blue Streaks’ starting pitcher, Fisher Druck, dazzled on the mound in his first start of the season for the Varsity Blue Streaks. After pitching in mostly a relief role in 2021, Druck started and closed this one out on his own – going the distance on only 65 pitches while surrendering not one hit. McCaskey batters reached base only twice in this game as an infield error and a first-inning walk, Druck’s only blemish, were the only offense the Red Tornado could muster on the afternoon. Druck’s no-hitter, while only 5 innings, is the second no-hitter in the last 5 games for the Varsity Blue Streaks – going back to last season when Dylan King and Evan Clark combined for a playoff no-hitter against Annville-Cleona.

While Druck’s pitching line stands out in the box score, Township’s offense wasn’t too shabby in their second contest of the young season. For the second game in the row, the Blue Streaks’ offense pushed double digit runs across the plate on double digit hits. The attack on home plate began early in this one when a leadoff walk to JT Weaver turned into an RBI for Ryan Flury on an early fielder’s choice to give MT a 1-0 lead after 1.

Flury collected his 5th and 6th RBIs of the year on a 3rd-inning single to right field to score Trey Eckman and Weaver, both of whom previously reached base on hits of their own. Druck walked before Ryan Brader reached on an infield error to load the bases for the starting first baseman, Ben Shenosky, to drive home two more runs for Township. Leading 5-0 through 3, the runs kept pouring in as the Blue Streak lineup collected hit after hit. Gavin Glass, Weaver, Michael Heckman, and Druck all singled in the bottom of the 4th to blow the lead out to 8-0 before Shenosky, Ty Jenkins and Glass all reached base in the final half inning to close it out on the mercy rule.

With the victory, Manheim Township improves to 2-0 on the season with a showdown against another Section 1 rival, Hempfield, on the road in Landisville on Friday. The Blue Streaks will then return home next Monday (4/4) to take on Penn Manor.