By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
April 18, 2019
SCHNECKSVILLE, PA—Region XIX Division II Lehigh Carbon Community College (13-11) scored with two out in the bottom of the ninth, erasing a three-run deficit as the Cougars defeated the Manor College Blue Jays (5-16), 7-6, in a non-conference game.
Lehigh Carbon began the scoring in the first inning on a two-out RBI ground out by sophomore catcher Aaron Joyce. The Cougars attempted to score in the bottom of second when freshman left fielder Julio Ortiz singled to left with two out. However, freshman left fielder Alex Bautista's (Philadelphia, PA/Swenson Arts & Technology) throw to freshman third baseman Eddie Colon's (Philadelphia, PA/Olney Charter) throw to sophomore Abimael Mercado (Philadelphia, PA/Juan Ponce De Leon ([PR]) prevented freshman third baseman Codey Geist from scoring and ended the inning.
Manor took a 2-1 in the third. Sophomore right fielder Cristian Diaz (Philadelphia, PA/Franklin Towne Charter) led off with a triple to right off of sophomore starting pitcher Derek Joyce. Sophomore designated hitter Sauriel Baez' (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) one-out, single to right scored Diaz and tied the game. Colon's single to left advanced Baez to second. Bautista's reached on a fielder's choice ground out to third moved Colon to second with two out. Sophomore second baseman Abdur Mujahid's (Philadelphia, PA/Boys Latin) single to center scored Colon and the Blue Jays took the lead.
The Cougars retook the lead, 3-2, in the bottom half of the inning on sophomore center fielder Brett Foulke's two-out double to center.
The Blue Jays retook the lead in the sixth. Baez reached on a one-out, Geist fielding error and advanced to second on a Derek Joyce wild pitch. Colon walked. Bautista's one-out double to left scored Baez, tying the game, and advancing Colon to third. Mujahid walked to load the bases and knocked Derek Joyce out of the game and was replaced by sophomore Nolan Cope. Freshman center fielder Shawn Vega (Philadelphia, PA/Olney Charter) greeted Cope with a one-out single to left, scoring Baez, reloading the bases, and giving Manor a 4-3 advantage.
Manor added to its lead in the seventh off the Cope. Sophomore first baseman Hector Morales (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) led off the inning with hit by pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch. Diaz followed with a walk. Baez was hit by a pitch with one out loading the bases. Colon reached on a field ground out to short, scoring Morales. However, sophomore shortstop Collin Haupt's errant throw wide of second base, allowed Diaz to score on the play, and gave the Blue Jays a 6-3 advantage.
The Cougars chipped away at Manor's lead in the bottom half of the inning. Haupt's two-out infield single to third closed the gap to 6-4. Lehigh Carbon tied the game with two out in the eighth on Ortiz' ground out to short and Aaron Joyce's single that was deflected and went to center. Lehigh Carbon won the game in the bottom of the ninth with two out when Ortiz' single advanced freshman second baseman Thomas Rissmiller to third. However, a Blue Jays' throwing error allowed Rissmiller to score and end the game.
Batting Leaders: Sophomore shortstop Jose Romero (Philadelphia, PA/Frankford) went two-for-five (including a double). Morales went two-for-four. Diaz went two-for-four with (including a triple) with two runs scored and a walk. Colon walked twice and scored two runs. Bautista went two-for-five (including a double). Mujahid contributed a hit and a walk for the Blue Jays.
Foulke, Geist, and Ortiz each went two-for-five. Derek Joyce went two-for-four (including a double). Foulke, Aaron Joyce, and Ortiz knocked in two runs each. Freshman Trevor Schreiner walked twice and scored two runs. Rissmiller doubled and scored two runs for the Cougars.
Pitching Leaders: Loya started the game, pitching seven innings. Diaz (1-2), finished the game, pitching 1 2/3 innings in relief, striking out two for the Blue Jays.
Derek Joyce started the game, pitching 5 1/3 innings, striking out four. Cope struck out two in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Freshmen Adam Mellinger and Zachary Bilder (1-0) each pitched an inning of scoreless relief, striking out two. Altogether, the Cougar bullpen, did not allow an earned run in 3 2/3 innings, while striking out six and allowing two hits and two walks.
Next Game: Manor travels to play Region XIX Club Team Luzerne County Community College (1-11) for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 20 in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania at Noon. The Blue Jays were swept last season, 19-7, in seven innings, at Abington Friends School, in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, on March 31, 2018, and 17-3, in seven innings, on May 5, 2018 in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.