Recap

After picking up a win against non-league opponent Exeter on Saturday, Colin Yablonski and the Varsity Blue Streaks were hungry for their first Section 1 win of the season going into Monday afternoon’s match-up in Lebanon against the Cedar Crest Falcons. Yablonski pitched well at Warwick on opening day, but came away with a loss as the Township offense was unable to muster any runs against the Warriors. This game began in a similar manner – scoreless through 4 innings.

Cedar Crest batters were stifled in each of the first 3 innings as Yablonski set down each batter that stepped to the plate. Brenden Moshos helped out early behind the plate by picking off a Cedar Crest base runner at first base after an errant HBP put a man on base in the 3rd.

At the plate, Township was unable to get anything going early on as well. Matthew Peipher reached base as the lead off man in the top of the 2nd thanks to an error on the Falcons’ shortstop. Kyle Musser reached base on a fielder’s choice and advanced to 3rd on a Colin Fitzgerald single before the Blue Streaks were retired in the inning without scoring a run.

The Blue Streaks were quiet in the 3rd and 4th innings outside of a Ben DeMarco walk and Musser single that did not result in a score change. After 4 complete innings of scoreless baseball, Township finally broke through and capitalized with runners on base. Drew Sassaman started off the 5th with a bunt single and stole 2nd during DeMarco’s at bat in which he walked to put two men on base. Ryan Jones slapped a single to right field to break the 0-0 tie and make it 1-0 MT. Yablonski followed up with a bases-clearing triple that gave himself and the Blue Streaks a crucial 3-0 lead.

Cedar Crest’s best inning of the game came in the bottom of the 5th as they looked to respond with some runs of their own. After a lead off double, HBP, and walk, the Falcons got on the board with a bases-loaded HBP to close the gap to 3-1. Yablonski worked out of the rest of the inning by striking out the very next batter and preserving the lead. Neither the Blue Streaks or Falcons produced any offense in the 6th or 7th innings so this game went final at 3-1.