Blue Streaks end long week with 9-2 loss at Ephrata

Facing a non-Section I opponent for the first time since seeing Manheim Central on April 6th, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks visited Ephrata to face the Mountaineers on Saturday afternoon. Township topped Ephrata twice last season, including an 11-2 victory in last season’s L-L League Championship game at Clipper Magazine Stadium. 

The Blue Streaks were on the board early after a 1-out Tyler Mulholland single got things going in the 1st. Walks to Nick Tomlinson and Gavin Glass loaded the bases before everybody moved up on a wild pitch during Ben Connors first AB. With the 1-0 lead, Ryan Brader took the mound for the Blue Streaks for just the second time this year. 

After picking up a strikeout, Brader exited with soreness in his throwing arm and Traeton Sauder entered from center field to take the lead on the mound. A series of walks and a SAC fly scored McCracken from 3rd to knot the game up at 1-1 through 1. Trey Eckman led off the 2nd with a walk and Kaden Kemp followed up with his first varsity hit, a double to left-center, to put two runners in scoring position with no outs for Township. Three consecutive outs kept either runner from scoring and sent the Blue Streaks back on defense still in a 1-1 tie. Another SAC fly and 2-run single for the Mounts opened up a 4-1 home team lead after two innings.

Josh Boll entered on the mound for Sauder in the bottom of the 4th and held Ephrata scoreless before Township added another run in the 5th. Ty Jenkins and Mulholland each picked up singles to start the inning and Glass drove an RBI-single to right field to pull the Blue Streaks closer 4-2. 

Ephrata would extend their lead after loading the bases in the bottom of the 6th and pushing one run across on a single from Bromirski and three more across on a bases-clearing double from Kapczynski. Tomlinson would ditch the DH spot in the lineup and take the mound with one out in the bottom of the 6th. The Mountaineers would scratch across a ninth run before the end of the inning to carry a 9-2 lead into the 7th inning. With no further offense in the top of the 7th, the Blue Streaks fell 9-2 at the game’s end.

Getting their first day of rest in a week, Township will have tomorrow off and then host Senior Night on Monday evening under the lights against McCaskey. Senior recognition will take place pregame so be sure to come out early to thank our seniors for all of their contributions to the MT baseball program.