By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
April 21, 2018
RANDOLPH, NJ—NJCAA Region XIX Division II County College of Morris (12-17) freshman designated hitter Jake Hall went four-for-four (all doubles), with three runs scored and two RBI as the Titans defeated the Manor College Blue Jays (2-13), 18-6, in game one of a doubleheader.
Morris scored in every inning. The Titans scored three in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore first baseman Kellen Hardy contributed a one-out, two-run double to center and Hall followed with a RBI double to center. They added another run in the second and sent 10 batters to the plate, including the first five to reach safely, scoring four in the third. Freshman right fielder Angel Soler contributed a none out RBI double to center, followed by a sophomore second baseman Jonathan Biale RBI single to left. Freshman center fielder Jonathan Flynn added a one-out, sacrifice fly to left.
Manor cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth, scoring four times, and sending 10 batters to the plate. Freshman shortstop Jose Romero (Philadelphia, PA/Frankford) singled to center off of freshman starting pitcher Charles Betz. Freshman second baseman Hector Morales (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) singled to left and advanced to second on sophomore left fielder Jack Peterson's fielding error which also allowed Romero to go to third. Freshman third baseman Nicholas Herrera's (Philadelphia, PA/Frankford) one-out sacrifice fly to Flynn, scored Romero. Freshman catcher Abimael Mercado (Philadelphia, PA/Juan Ponce De Leon [PR]) followed with a two-run home run to left that scored Morales. Freshman relief pitcher Yorkis German (Philadelphia, PA/Kensington Health and Science) singled to center and freshman center fielder-first baseman Courtney Maddox-Kent (Philadelphia, PA/Edison) followed with a single to left, moving German to second. Freshman right fielder Francis Beras' (Philadelphia, PA/Mariana Bracetti) infield single loaded the bases. Freshman Abdur-Rauf Mujahid's (Philadelphia, PA/Boys Latin) fielder's choice ground out to sophomore shortstop Justin Ayala scored German. Morris scored two in the bottom of the fourth. Flynn's two-out single to center accounted for one of the runs.
The Titans batted around in the fifth, scoring five runs. Hall contributed a one-out RBI double to center, freshman catcher Anthony Trifari added a two-out, two-run single to left, Flynn followed him with a two-run single to center.
The Blue Jays scored a run in the sixth. German led off with a single to right. Beras doubled to center, advancing German to third. Betz' wild pitch scored German. Morris finished its scoring in the sixth with three runs on consecutive scoring plays. Freshman first baseman Luke Schulte had a none-out, RBI single to left, freshman pinch-hitter-designated hitter Vincent Montone then added a RBI single to left, and Soler followed with one-out sacrifice fly to center.
Manor scored a run in the seventh. Romero led off the inning, reaching on an infield single to freshman relief pitcher Jonathan Torres. Herrera singled to right and Romero advanced to third on Soler's fielding error. Mercado's two-out sacrifice fly to Soler scored Romero.
Batting Leaders: Romero went three-for-four with two runs scored. German came off the bench and went two-for-three with two runs scored. Beras went two-for-three. Mercado contributed three RBI for the Blue Jays.
Flynn went three-for-three with four RBI. Sophomore third baseman Stephen Loreng went two-for-three (including a double) with two runs scored. Biale added two hits and two runs scored. Hardy scored three runs and knocked in two. Soler scored two and had two RBI. Peterson scored two runs.
Pitching Leaders: Betz (1-1) got the win, pitching six innings and striking out nine for Morris.