Township picks up chilly morning victory at Solanco, 4-1

Making up a game originally scheduled for March 28th, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks traveled south of Lancaster City for their second matchup against the Solanco Golden Mules on Saturday morning. The two squads were met with a morning temperature in the low 50s with moderate winds for the 10:30 AM first pitch.

The Blue Streaks got off to a fast start in the first inning as they have in multiple games over their 5-game win streak. Ben Connors lead off the game with a single to the left side before Josh Boll reached on the first of his two HBP and Traeton Sauder reached safely on a bunt single. With the bases loaded, Andrew Flury grounded into a double play, but Connors was still able to cross the plate and give the Blue Streaks an early 1-0 lead.

Trey Eckman, starting for Township, surrendered two early singles to the Golden Mules, but escaped with no damage in the 1st. Both teams worked a couple hits over the next two innings, but the score remained 1-0 MT through 3 innings.

A single for Solanco’s pitcher, Underwood, to lead off the bottom of the 4th eventually lead to the home team picking up a tying run two batters later. A stolen base and a ground out sent the runner home and tied the game at 1-1 through 4.

In the top of the 6th, the Blue Streaks used small ball to force the Golden Mules to make some defensive plays – and they couldn’t. A bunt single from Boll and HBP for Sauder put two men on before a Flury SAC bunt moved the runners into scoring position with only 1 out. A Jacob Carrasco bunt single sent Boll across the plate and put Township back in front. A walk for Christian Kleckner again loaded the bases before Angelo Billiard drove two more runs in on a line drive to center to make it 4-1 MT through five and half innings.

Eckman, with the lead, set down the next six Solanco batters to hold onto the 4-1 victory – his second win of the season and the Blue Streaks’ 6th in a row.

Township starts the week back at home on Monday evening as Cedar Crest comes to town for their and final regular season meeting in 2024.