By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
April 14, 2019
NEWTOWN, PA—Bucks County Community College (9-18 Overall, 4-9 Region XIX Division III, 3-2 EPAC) sophomore designated hitter William Uphoff went three-for-five (including three doubles) with nine RBI and a stolen base as the Centurions defeated the Manor College Blue Jays (5-15, 3-7, 2-4), 15-9, in game two of a doubleheader.
Manor batted around in the first inning, scoring four runs. Freshman center fielder Shawn Vega (Philadelphia, PA/Olney Charter) led off the game with and stole second off of Bucks County's freshman starting pitcher Reese Sterling (4-2). Sophomore shortstop Jose Romero's (Philadelphia, PA/Frankford) single to right scored Vega. Sophomore catcher Hector Morales (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) reached on a fielder's choice to third. On the play, a Centurions' throwing error advanced Romero to third. Morales stole second. Sophomore right fielder Sauriel Baez (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) one-out triple to left scored Romero and Morales. Another Bucks County throwing error allowed Baez to score on the play.
Bucks County responded with three runs in the bottom of half of the inning which including an Uphoff one-out, fielder's choice ground out to third and a one-out RBI single by freshman left fielder Paul DePompeo.
Romero walked with one out and moved to second on Morales' single to left. Sophomore starting pitcher Cristian Diaz (Philadelphia, PA/Franklin Towne Charter) (1-1) reached on a fielder's choice ground out to third, advancing Morales to second. Baez' two-out double to left scored Morales and Diaz moved to third.
Bucks County took the lead for good in the second, scoring three two-out runs on an Uphoff bases clearing double to right. The Centurions scored four times in third and sent 10 hitters to bat in the inning. Freshman center fielder Justin Ward knocked in a run on a two-out fielder's choice ground out to second. Uphoff contributed a two-run double to center. Bucks County scored four in the fourth which included an Uphoff bases-clearing double to left with two out. The Centurions scored once in the fifth on a sophomore Noah Ruiz none-out single to center. Altogether, Bucks County scored in every inning except the sixth. They also scored 10 two-out runs.
The Blue Jays scored four in the seventh off of freshman relief pitcher Kevin Knapp. Sophomore first baseman Jorge Reyes (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) singled to left with one out and was replaced for a pinch-runner by freshman Briant Loya (Philadelphia, PA/Parkway Center City). Freshman left fielder Alex Bautista (Philadelphia, PA/Swenson Arts & Technology) reached on an infield single to the pitcher which advanced Loya to second. Freshman right fielder Janai Vaughan (Philadelphia, PA/W.B. Saul) reached on a fielder's choice to second, loading the bases. On the play, Bautista moved to second on freshman second baseman Harold Landman's throwing error. Vega single to right scored Loya and reloaded the bases. Bautista scored when sophomore catcher Abimael Mercado (Philadelphia, PA/Juan Ponce De Leon [PR]) was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases for the third time in the inning. Diaz' two-out, two-run single to left scored Vaughan and Vega.
Batting Leaders: Vega walked twice, scored two runs, and stole a base. Romero singled and walked. Morales went three-for-five with a stolen base. Diaz singled, walked, and contributed two RBI. Baez doubled and tripled and knocked in three runs. Bautista and Reyes each went two-for-four for Manor.
Landman walked three times and scored two runs. Ward walked twice, stole two bases, and scored four runs. Freshman shortstop Evan Matthews walked two times and scored four runs. Freshman right fielder Kenneth Brough went two-for-four. Ruiz went three-for-five with two runs scored for Bucks County.
Pitching Leaders: Diaz started the game. Freshman Yadier Cedeno (Philadelphia, PA/Olney Charter) and Bautista followed. Freshman Eddie Colon (Philadelphia, PA/Olney Charter) finished the contest for the Blue Jays.
Sterling started the game, pitching six innings. Knapp finished contest for the Centurions.
Next Game: Manor hosts NJCAA Region XIX Division II Rowan College at Burlington County (17-8-1) on Tuesday, April 16 at Lighthouse Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 3:30 p.m. This is the first meeting between the Blue Jays and the Barons.
Next Road Game: Manor travels to play NJCAA Region XIX Division II Lehigh Carbon Community College on Thursday, April 18 in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania at 3:30 p.m. Manor was swept last season, 14-3, in seven innings in Schnecksville on April 14, 2018, and, 9-3, at Abington Friends School in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania on April 20, 2018. This is Lehigh Carbon's first year in Division II.