Recap

With a game time temperature of 68, fans of Manheim Township and Hempfield packed the viewing areas of Westfield Insurance Park for the first showdown of the undefeated Section One rivals… and this one didn’t disappoint. Hempfield struck early on Township’s starter Dylan King, who was making his 2nd start of the season. With 2 runs in the 1st off a Blue Streak error, Hempfield grabbed an early lead before scooping up another 3 runs in the 3rd. King was replaced on the bump by JT Weaver early in the 3rd inning.

Township’s offense finally broke through in the bottom half of the 3rd. A Ryan Flury single, Weaver double, and Kyle Musser HBP loaded the bases for the Blue Streaks. Drew Sassaman picked up an RBI on a SAC fly and King drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to make it 5-2. Hempfield tacked on a 6th run in the 4th before the real fun started.

After a lead off single from Ryan Jones, Hempfield made a pitching change and snagged two quick outs on the next two Township batters. With a runner on 1st base, Flury reached on an error and Weaver loaded the bases with a single of his own. Musser took his 2nd HBP of the day and a Township run made it 6-3. Sassaman continued his hot hitting with a single to left field that scored two and quickly shrunk the Hempfield lead to 1. King struck again with a triple to the center field fence and gave the Blue Streaks their first lead of the afternoon. Reminder… the [clutch] 5-run effort in the inning was all with 2 outs.

Colin Fitzgerald took the mound for Township in the top of the 5th inning to try and hold Hempfield at bay. After a lead off double, Fitzgerald managed to clean up the next three Hempfield batters to get out of trouble. The Blue Streaks took advantage of two more Hempfield fielding errors in the bottom half of the 5th to extend their lead 8-6. Hempfield finally got to Fitzgerald in the top of the 6th and retook the lead 9-8 after a series of Township errors let the Black Knights back in the game.

Evan Clark made his lone hit on the afternoon count when it mattered most scoring Musser from 2nd after a leadoff double in the 6th put the runner in scoring position for Township. With the score tied at 9-9, Fitzgerald returned to his commanding ways on the hill in the 7th to set Hempfield down 1-2-3 and give his team a shot at a walk-off win at home. Township loaded the bases with only 1 out in the bottom of the 7th before Musser came to the plate for the 5th time on the afternoon. The third, and final, pitch of the AB glanced off his arm and advanced all Township runners to force pinch-runner Josiah Shaub across home plate. With the 10-9 win in their home opener, Manheim Township now sits atop the standings in Section One at 4-0 (2-0 league).