By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
April 7, 2024
MEDIA, PA—United States Collegiate Athletic Association Williamson College of the Trades (7-3 overall, 3-1 Eastern States Athletic Conference), top five hitters in the lineup combined for 17 runs, 10 hits, 11 RBI and eight walks, as the Mechanics defeated the Manor College Blue Jays (1-3, 0-2), 21-5, in six innings, in game one of a doubleheader.
This was originally a doubleheader scheduled for April 6 to be played at Roslyn Park in Abington, Pennsylvania. This rescheduled doubleheader was played at Williamson College of the Trades and Manor was the home team for both games.
Manor previously played Williamson on the road on April 18, 2018 when the Blue Jays were NJCAA Region XIX Division III members. The Blue Jays won in seven innings, 16-13.
Williamson opened the scoring in the first inning on senior first baseman Joe Kelly's two-out, two-run home run to right-center, scoring junior center fielder Joshua Illing. Manor cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning. Freshman left fielder Yerlad Duran (Philadelphia, PA/Abraham Lincoln) led off with a walk off of Mechanics senior starting pitcher Stephen Gualtieri. Duran stole second and advanced to third on a Gualitieri wild pitch. Senior shortstop Eddie Fortescue Jr's (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon) two-out sacrifice fly to freshman right fielder Michael Krakovitz scored Duran.
The Mechanics scored two runs in the third, including a one-out double by junior shortstop Cody Grande, scoring freshman second baseman Jacob Naumann. The Blue Jays closed the gap to 4-3 in the bottom half. Freshman second baseman Almanie Reyes Torres (Philadelphia, PA/Abraham Lincoln) walked with two out and Fortescue Jr hit his first collegiate home run to right-center. This is Manor's first home run as a four-year program. The Blue Jays' last home run was by Cristian Diaz on April 27, 2019 at the NJCAA Region XIX Division III Montgomery County Community College Mustangs in Blue Bell.
Williamson scored four in the top of the fourth and batted around twice in the sixth, scoring 13 runs. Manor scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman catcher Anthony Ortiz (Philadelphia, PA/Franklin Towne Charter) led off with a walk and advanced to second on a freshman relief pitcher Shane McLaughlin. Freshman starting pitcher-shortstop Juan Regalado (Philadelphia, PA) followed with another walk. Regalado and Ortiz advanced to second and third, respectively, on another McLaughlin wild pitch. Freshman first baseman-pitcher Christopher Colella (Philadelphia, PA/Bishop McDevitt) two-out single to Illing scored Ortiz and Regalado.
Batting Leaders: Fortescue Jr knocked in three runs and Colella contributed two runs batted in. Regalado walked three times and stole a base. Duran walked twice and stole a base for the Blue Jays.
Neumann went two-for-six with three runs scored. Illing was three-for-four (including two doubles and a triple), four runs scored, three runs batted in, and a stolen base. Grande went three-for-four (including two doubles), and three RBI. Kelly hit two home runs, scored four runs, knocked in four, and walked three times. Junior designated hitter Michael Ashton walked three times and scored twice. Senior catcher Dylan Marantino scored twice and knocked in two runs. Freshman third baseman Zachary Ladislaw contributed three RBI. Junior left fielder-right fielder Kaden Walsh walked twice for the Mechanics.
Pitching Leaders: Regalado (0-2) started and pitched five innings, striking out four.
Gualtieri started for Williamson, striking out seven and allowed one hit in three innings pitched. McLaughlin (1-0) won the game in relief, striking out four in three innings.
Season Series: Manor is 1-2 overall versus Williamson (0-1 at home).
Manor at home: The Blue Jays are 1-1 this season at home.
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Twitter: @manorbluejays.
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