By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
April 29, 2018
WAYNE, PA— NJCAA Division II Valley Forge Military College (12-16) freshman second baseman Tommy Murphy went three-for-three (including a double and home run), with three runs scored, two RBI, and two stolen bases as the Trojans defeated the Manor College Blue Jays (2-16), 8-7, in game one of a double header.
The Trojans scored first in the bottom of the second on Murphy's lead-off home run to left.
The Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the fourth. Freshman left fielder Trevor Schmanek (Philadelphia, PA/St. Joseph's Prep) doubled to center with one out off of freshman starting pitcher Zach Gutierrez. Freshman catcher Samuel Pena (Philadelphia, PA/Liceo Vespertino Pedro MIR [DR]) two-out single to left scored Schmanek. Valley Forge Military scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman right fielder Bryen Figueroa led off with a home run to left. Freshman left fielder Javier Rodriguez completed the scoring in the inning with a two-out single to right.
Manor scored twice in the top of the sixth. Freshman second baseman Hector Morales (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) led off the inning with a single to center. Schmanek followed with a single to center, advancing Morales to second. Freshman right fielder Courtney Maddox-Kent (Philadelphia, PA/Edison) reached on a fielder's choice to short, forcing Morales at third, and moving Schmanek to second. Pena's one-out single to center scored Schmanek and advanced Maddox-Kent to third. On the play, Pena moved to second on the throw. Freshman starting pitcher Yorkis German's (Philadelphia, PA/Kensington Health and Science) ground out to Murphy scored Maddox-Kent with two out. Valley Forge Military answered in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs. Two of the runs were by Murphy's one-out, RBI double to center and Javier Rodriguez' two-out, RBI double to left.
The Blue Jays rallied in the top of the seventh. Freshman center fielder Abdur-Rauf Mujahid (Philadelphia, PA/Boys Latin) led off the inning with an infield single to short off of Gutierrez. Freshman shortstop Jose Romero's (Philadelphia, PA/Frankford) single to right advanced Mujahid to second. Freshman third baseman Sauriel Baez' (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) double to left-center scored Mujahid and Romero. Morales' home run to left scored Baez and Manor got within 8-7. Maddox-Kent walked with one out off of sophomore relief pitcher Bert Hinton and advanced to second on a wild pitch. The rally and game ended when German's line drive was caught on a leaping catch made by freshman shortstop Milton Del Valle Rosario.
Batting Leaders: Five Blue Jays had multi-hit games. Morales, Pena, and Romero each went two-for-four. Morales and freshman first baseman Jeffrey Salcedo (Philadelphia, PA/Mariana Bracetti) each went two-for-three. Morales homered, scored a run, stole a base, walked, and knocked in two. Romero scored a run and stole a base. Baez and Pena contributed two RBI each. Schmanek scored two runs for the Blue Jays.
Javier Rodriguez went two-for-four (including a double), with two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
Pitching Leaders: German (0-1) threw a complete game, pitching six innings, striking out four while walking one for the Blue Jays.
Gutierrez pitched six innings, striking out six while walking one. Hinton collected the save, pitching an inning, striking out one for the Trojans.