By Steven M. Glassman

Director of Sports Information

April 18, 2024

MEDIA, PA—United States Collegiate Athletic Association Williamson College of the Trades (12-6 overall, 7-3 Eastern States Athletic Conference), scored four runs in the fifth and five in the sixth, as the Mechanics defeated the Manor College Blue Jays (1-7, 0-4), 9-4, in game one of a doubleheader.

This doubleheader was originally scheduled for April 4.

Manor opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the first.  Freshman right fielder Manny Roach (Medford, NJ/Life Center Academy) led off with a walk off of freshman starting pitcher Michael Krakovitz. Roach stole second.  Freshman left fielder Yerlad Duran (Philadelphia, PA/Abraham Lincoln) walked and stole second.  Senior third baseman Eddie Fortescue Jr (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon) walked to load the bases.  Freshman catcher Anthony Ortiz (Philadelphia, PA/Franklin Towne Charter) walked to score Roach.  Freshman shortstop Juan Regalado's (Philadelphia, PA) ground out to senior first baseman Joe Kelly scored Duran.  Freshman center fielder Jimmy Garcia's (Philadelphia, PA/Community Academy of Philadelphia) ground out, junior shortstop Cody Grande to Kelly, scored Fortescue Jr.

The Blue Jays' defense kept the Mechanics off the scoreboard in the bottom half.  Freshman second baseman Jacob Naumann led off with a walk.  However, freshman center fielder Joshua Illing's fly ball was caught on a diving catch by Garcia.  Garcia threw the ball back to freshman first baseman Christopher Colella (Philadelphia, PA/Bishop McDevitt) to double off Naumann.  Grande followed with a single to Garcia and Kelly walked.  The inning ended when Grande was thrown out trying to advance to third, Ortiz to Fortescue Jr, on an outside pitch.

Manor's pitching kept Williamson off the scoreboard in the second after freshman starting pitcher Narsizo Rivera (Philadelphia, PA/Samuel Fels) retired the Mechanics in order.  In the third inning, freshman right fielder Brandon Henderson led off with a walk and junior left fielder Samuel Koppa advanced Henderson to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Henderson went to third with Naumann at the plate with one out.  Naumann popped up to freshman second baseman Almanie Reyes Torres (Philadelphia, PA/Abraham Lincoln) and Illing flew out to Garcia to end the inning.  Williamson loaded the bases with two out in the fourth, but Henderson popped out to Reyes Torres to end another scoring threat.

The Blue Jays added to its lead in the fifth.  Fortescue Jr led off with a walk off of freshman relief pitcher Aiden McHugh.  Fortescue Jr stole second and advanced to third on a McHugh wild pitch.  Ortiz' sacrifice fly scored Fortescue Jr, but Henderson's missed catch error allowed Ortiz to advance to second on the play.

The Mechanics tied the game in the bottom half of the inning.  Coppa led off with a walk and scored two batters later on Illing's double to Garcia.  Grande tied the game on a three-run home run, scoring Naumann and Illing.  The game remained a tie at the end of the inning because Garcia made a running catch off of a freshman third baseman Zachary Ladislaw fly ball and Garcia threw to Ortiz at home, tagging Kelly out to end the inning.

However, Williamson took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth.  Grande's one-out walk scored Coppa to give the Mechanics a 5-4 lead.  Williamson sent 11 hitters to bat in the inning and scored five runs.

Batting Leaders: Duran walked twice. Fortescue Jr scored two runs.  Ortiz knocked in two runs.

Grande had two hits (including a home run), scored two runs, and led both teams with four runs batted in.  Naumann walked twice and scored two runs.  Coppa and Illing scored two runs each.  Kelly walked twice and knocked in two runs.  Henderson walked three times and Ladislaw walked twice for Williamson.  

Pitching Leaders: Rivera (0-2) started and pitched 5 ⅓ innings and Garcia finished the game for the Blue Jays in relief, pitching ⅔ of an inning. 

Krakovitz started the game for Williamson.  McHugh pitched four relief innings, striking out four, and allowed one run, a walk, and three hits.  Naumann (3-2) won the game in relief, striking out two in two scoreless innings.  

Season Series: Manor is 1-4 overall versus Williamson (1-2 on the road).

Manor on the Road: The Blue Jays are 0-3 this season on the road.

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