While many Penn college students again to magnificence Monday afternoon, Penn baseball changed into nevertheless playing. In a bizarre 3-recreation set that commenced with a 16-inning game, noticed a total of 57 runs scored and spanned a total of three days, the Red and Blue took home their first collection win of the convention season, taking off 3 from Brown. It becomes imagined to be every other regular Ivy League matchup for the Quakers (thirteen-eight, three-three Ivy), with a great climate forecasted for a Saturday doubleheader and perhaps a few spots of rain on Sunday, but nothing too serious. The Bears (five-17, 2-4) ended up having to stay an extra day in Philadelphia after sport one went seven more innings, and rain put off pushed sport 3 to Monday. The first game of the series began as a pitchers’ duel, however that became in no way indicative of what changed into to come back. After each crew scored just three runs apiece via 12 innings, the Bears placed up to two additional runs within the pinnacle of the 13th to place the strain at the Quakers.
Penn’s freshman hitters were elevating the offense all season, and they persisted in affecting with shortstop Josh Hood tying it up inside the bottom of the thirteenth with a homer to the left subject. Down runs again inside the 16th inning; 2d baseman Craig Larsen came thru with the walk-off winner, an unmarried to the left. As a set, the freshmen aren’t amazed by using their early fulfillment. “We’re no longer shy just because we’re novices, we’re right here for a purpose, we’re right here to assist this team,” unique freshman hitter Andrew Hernandez stated.
After the acute, five-hour sport kicked off the collection, the game changed into a one-of-a-kind story. The Quakers jumped out to a six-run lead within the first inning and never appeared again. Even though this one inning would have been enough to comfy the win, the Red and Blue added every other six-run outburst inside the seventh for the correct measure.
“I can’t sincerely say I’ve been part of a game that lasted over 5 hours after which the subsequent sport leads to a blowout,” Hernandez stated. “It, in reality, changed into an unusual weekend.” The Quakers ended up taking the sport 17-four, out-hitting the Bears 24-6, and clinching the series, but after dropping two video games to Harvard last weekend, Penn wanted the sweep. On a sunny, however brisk Monday afternoon, the Quakers battled for a maximum of the 0.33 recreation, twice erasing a -run deficit. However, in the pinnacle of the seventh, the Bears positioned the sport out of reach after a two-out double via junior Calvin Farris were given past a diving senior Sean Phelan down the first-base line. The subsequent batter, junior Rich Ciufo, sent one over the fence in the middle for a domestic run. Ciufo changed into the sport’s celebrity for the Bears, finishing a single shy of the cycle, knocking in five RBIs, and scoring three runs himself. “A sweep could’ve been first-class; that’s what we purpose for,” Hernandez said. With all the scoring all through the collection up and down the lineup, Hernandez emerged as the hero for the Quakers.
Hernandez went 9-for-sixteen with seven RBIs and became arguably the nice hitter for the Red and Blue in video games and 3. In 27 at-bats this season, he now leads the group in batting average and slugging percent, an outstanding feat considering how well the offense has executed.“I’m simply attempting to do the fine I can to help out the crew, simply do my component and play my position,” Hernandez stated. After his breakout series, Hernandez is another weapon that educates John Yurkow has at his disposal, and he and the rest of the Quakers will look to comply with their first conference collection win with another victory at home in opposition to Saint Joseph’s on Tuesday.
