Blue Streaks capitalize on variety of errors to secure road win at McCaskey, 7-3

With a chance to win the week with a win on Friday afternoon, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks traveled into Lancaster City to face the McCaskey Red Tornado.

Township jumped out to an early lead with 2 runs in the top of the 1st. Ryan Brader took a pitch off his back to reach base and stole 2nd before a 2-out single from Cole Stoltzfus put the Blue Streaks up 1-0. Gavin Glass followed up with an infield grounder that was mishandled by the second baseman and allowed Stoltzfus to score. Leading 2-0, Township sent Braden Leed to the mound for his 2nd start of the season.

The Red Tornado put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the 1st, but Leed was able to get out of the inning unscathed. Three more Blue Streaks crossed the plate in the 2nd to open up a sizable lead for the road team. Ben Connors and Trey Eckman reached base on a HBP and walk before Ryan Peipher laid down a bunt that the pitcher couldn’t handle and Connors ended up safe at home. Later in the inning, Peipher scored from 3rd on a passed ball and a bases-loaded walk for Glass forced Ty Jenkins home to give Leed a 5-0 lead. 

McCaskey put a few runs on the board in the bottom of the 3rd after a pair of 2-out walks came back to haunt Leed. Singles for Rodriguez and Kuntz forced a trio of runners across the plate to tighten the score 5-3. The Blue Streaks responded quickly in the 4th putting Jenkins and Brader on base with singles. A 2-out routine pop up from Glass to the 2nd baseman was dropped and both runners managed to cross the plate on the error. The score was now 7-3 MT.

Both teams traded hits and outs over the 5th and 6th innings, but neither team plated any runs. Down to the final half inning, Traeton Sauder took the mound for the Blue Streaks to try and seal the victory. Three fly outs on four batters closed out the 7-3 win on the road and sent Township back home with another W.

Manheim Township will host three straight at home next week with Cedar Crest arriving first on Monday night under the lights. First pitch – 7:00 PM.