Recap

Coming off a tight win at home against Ephrata on Tuesday, the Varsity Blue Streaks traveled 45 minutes north to face the Lebanon Cedars at Coleman’s Park. With their longest win streak since 2008 on the line, Township looked to get off to another fast start at the plate.

MT was first on the board in the top of the 1st inning. A lead off single from Ben DeMarco and walk by Kyle Musser turned into a run for Township off two steals and a passed ball where DeMarco scored. Colin Yablonski roped a single into center field to quickly make it 2-0 MT. Colin Fitzgerald and Matt Peipher both picked up walks to load the bases with only 1 out in the half inning, but the Blue Streaks couldn’t capitalize.

Ryan Jones got his 4th start on the mound in this game as Lebanon was able to load the bases in the bottom of the 1st, but no runners crossed the plate. Drew Sassaman led off the 2nd inning by taking a pitch inside to reach base. After moving up to 3rd on a balk and steal, Sassaman scored on a SAC fly from DeMarco to make it 3-0 MT. The Cedars got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd inning after picking up 3 consecutive singles to load the bases with only 1 out. Their 2 runs in the inning scored on an error and a single to make it 3-2 through 3 innings.

The Blue Streaks responded in the 4th as Jones helped himself by tripling to right field to score DeMarco who had reached base on Lebanon’s 2nd error of the game. Leading 4-2, Jones shut down Lebanon in his final half inning to preserve the 2-run lead going into the 5th. With no runs scoring in the top of the 5th for MT, Lebanon was able to grab their first lead of the afternoon after putting up a 3 spot in the bottom of the 5th. DeMarco was brought in to pitch for varsity for the first time this season with 1 out in the 5th.

Now trailing 5-4, the Blue Streaks put runners on base again in the 6th as Sassaman singled and Musser walked. Sassaman was able to score before the final out of the inning was recorded and we were all tied 5-5 with only one inning to play. With the heart of the order coming to the plate, Township grabbed two much-needed runs to reclaim the lead. Yablonski walked, Fitzgerald singled, and 1 run crossed the plate on a Lebanon balk. Two batters later, Evan Clark doubled to left field to score courtesy runner, Jake Schaefer, and make it 7-5 MT.

The Cedars made things difficult in the bottom of the 7th as the first two batters picked up a single and double to make it 7-6 with the tying run at 2nd. DeMarco worked three straight outs to seal the victory for the Blue Streaks and keep the team’s win streak alive. Township’s 10 game win streak is it’s longest since the team began the 2008 season on an 11-game streak.