Comets hand Blue Streaks 3rd loss on the year in tight Section I encounter

After toppling Hempfield at home on Friday night, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks hit the road on Monday to battle the Penn Manor Comets at Comet Field outside of Millersville. The Blue Streaks handled business against the Comets at home earlier in the season, 9-2.

The Blue Streaks tried to get things going in the top of the 1st with Michael Heckman picking up an early walk with only 1 out, but Comets starting pitcher Sipel struck out the next two MT batters. Singles for Braegelmann, Avery, and Sipel in the bottom of the 1st had Penn Manor threatening early against Township starter Fisher Druck. A bases loaded walk and ground out double play allowed two Comets’ runners to cross the plate and give the home team a 2-0 lead through 1.

Over the next three innings, the Blue Streaks would put a man on 1st in each inning (2nd: error on a ground ball for Ty Jenkins, 3rd: single for JT Weaver, 4th: single for Druck), but the Comets held the visitors in check. PM would collect baserunners in the 3rd and 4th as well, but Druck and the Blue Streaks would hold strong and maintain just the 2-0 deficit. The 1st inning score continued to hold up in the 5th and 6th as both teams went 1-2-3 in their respective halves.

In their final trip to the plate on the day, leadoff batter Ryan Flury was plunked by a pitch to give Township a chance to make things interesting late, but Sipel retired the Blue Streaks and held onto the 2-0 shutout at home for the Comets. Druck finished the day with 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 9 K for the Blue Streaks in the loss.

At 14-3 (5-3 in Section I), Township returns home on Wednesday afternoon to host Cedar Crest as the Section I schedule winds down this week. While still in contention for a League Playoff birth, the Blue Streaks will be looking for a full team effort on Wednesday to bounce back from this one.