Druck goes the distance in latest shutout, Township picks up first road win of the season at CC, 5-0

After clinching the 2021 LL League Section 1 crown on the road at Cedar Crest in May last season, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks returned to Lebanon County to face the Eagles for the first time in 2022.

As the Blue Streaks have done often this season, they jumped out to an early lead. For the fifth consecutive game, Township plated at least one run in the 1st inning. After a 2-out double off the bat of Ryan Flury, courtesy runner Tyler Mulholland found home plate on a wild pitch during Ryan Brader’s first AB. The lead would double in the top of the 2nd inning thanks to a Michael Heckman SAC fly that sent Ty Jenkins in to score. MT would still leave two men on base in the inning.

Fisher Druck got his 2nd start on the hill this season for the Blue Streaks after pitching a 5-inning no-hitter against McCaskey last Wednesday. Cedar Crest’s first batter, Gonzalez, reached base on an infield error before Druck used his next two pitches to induce a double play and a fly out to end the 1st. The Eagles were set down in order in the 2nd as well.

Township capitalized on a leadoff HBP off the back of Gavin Glass in the top of the 4th to score another run. Back-to-back wild pitches sent Glass to 3rd before JT Weaver collected an RBI on an infield fielder’s choice. Leading 3-0, Druck needed only 8 pitches to retire Cedar Crest quickly in the home half of the 4th. Flury’s second hit of the game arrived in the top of the 5th as Township’s catcher lined a single down the left field line. A few batters later, courtesy runner Mulholland would score again on a passed ball to propel MT to a 4-0 lead. Walks to Ben Shenosky and Jenkins gave the Blue Streaks more life in the inning, but they couldn’t get anything else going.

Druck’s dominance continued on the mound in the 5th and 6th innings as Cedar Crest remained scoreless on the day. While much of the offense in this game wasn’t terribly exciting, Township picked up one more run off a Brader solo HR over the left field fence in the top of the 7th to make it 5-0. Druck’s minimal pitch count allowed the tall right hander to return to the mound and finish his complete game shutout in the 7th as the final 3 outs sealed the 5-0 victory for the Blue Streaks on the road. 

Sitting near the top of Section 1 at 4-1, Manheim Township will return home to face Warwick on Friday afternoon at 4:15.