Township offense struggles in rough showdown against Hempfield

The Manheim Township Blue Streaks returned home on Wednesday afternoon to host their cross-town rivals, the Hempfield Black Knights. This was the first of three meetings between these two Section I squads in 2024.

The Blue Streaks sent out Braden Leed (2-0, 15 K, 3.94 ERA) to make his 3rd start over the first six games for Township this season. Leed worked a quality first inning by picking up a ground out, strikeout, and fly out to go 1-2-3. The Blue Streak offense had some 2-out life in their half of the first after Traeton Sauder, Andrew Flury, and Kaden Kemp walked to load the bases. A ground out from Leed let Gebhard, Hempfield’s starter, off the hook early.

A leadoff HBP for Benchich and fielding error on a grounder from Hulock put the Black Knights in business in the 2nd. A single from Harelson loaded the bases, but the potential damage was limited after a 4-6-3 double play kept Hempfield to only one run in the inning. Hempfield was at it again in the 3rd with a leadoff triple from Sheerer. Back-to-back RBI singles opened up a 3-0 Black Knights lead before an error in the field for the Blue Streaks allowed a 4th run to cross the plate.

Two runners reached base for the Blue Streaks in the bottom of the 3rd with Josh Boll singling to right field and Flury walking again. Courtesy runner, Connor Delvecchio, was picked off at first base to close the 3rd inning before any Township runs reached home. Leed picked up another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 4th by retiring the bottom of Hempfield’s batting order, but his day came to an end at 98 pitches following the top of the 5th where the righty picked up two additional Ks to add to his total of eight on the day.

A 2-out single from Ben Connors in the bottom of the 5th was just the third hit on the afternoon for the Blue Streaks as the offense struggled to get started today. Angelo Billiard entered in relief for Township in the 6th where Hempfield struck for three more runs to open up a 7-0 lead. Three consecutive walks with two outs for the Blue Streaks in the bottom of the 6th gave Township its first opportunity for runs since the bottom of the 1st. A wild pitch from the Black Knights’ first reliever gave Kemp and Billiard time to scurry home to cut the lead to 7-2, but no other damage would be done.

JJ Good entered for MT in the top of the 7th to try and keep Hempfield from extending their lead again. A couple walks, a double, and a SAC fly later gave Hempfield one more run to put on the board, and the Blue Streaks went quietly in the final half inning to end it. 8-2 Hempfield.

The Blue Streaks have a much-needed day off tomorrow and are back at it on Friday with a trip to McCaskey. First pitch is 4:15 PM.