Summerdale, PA - The University of Valley Forge Baseball team hit the road to take on the Knights of Central Penn College on Monday afternoon. The Patriots won game 1 by a score of 5-3 and lost game 2 by a score of 5-0.
Game 1
Wesley Hetrick took the ball in game 1 and did not disappoint. The righty from Palmyra, PA pitched a complete game and did not allow a run until the fifth inning. Hetrick finished the game with a season high 12 strikeouts.
UVF got on the board in the top of the first inning.
James Jackson doubled to left field and advanced to third on a fielder's choice. Jackson then scored thanks to a passed ball. The Patriots took a 1-0 lead all the way into the bottom of the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Central Penn scored 2 runs on 3 hits. The Knights took a 2-1 lead.
UVF needed to answer. UVF's
Cody Rak led off the inning with a single and would eventually score on a base hit from
Landyn Traffas.
Marcus Fultz raced home for the Patriots second run of the inning thanks to a
Jacob Johnson ground out to short. The Patriots answered Central Penn's two runs with two of their own to retake a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Central got a big hit from Todd Cook. Cook doubled to right field and advanced to third on an errant throw. Cook then scored to tie the game at 3-3. With a runner on third and only one out,
Wesley Hetrick struck out the next two Knight batters to end the inning.
With the game tied at 3-3 and two outs in the top of the seventh inning,
Wesley Hetrick singled through the right side of the infield. Hetrick then scored on all the way from first base on a long single from
Cody Rak. Rak advanced to second on the throw home. The Patriots scored their second run of the inning when
Jeffery Espinal came through with a big two out single to center that scored
Cody Rak. With the insurance run, UVF led 5-3.
Wesley Hetrick continued his dominance on the mound. Hetrick got Drew Myers to fly out to center. Hetrick then struck out the next two Knight hitters to close the door. The Patriots won game one in thrilling fashion by a score of 5-3.
A Look at the Numbers
Wesley Hetrick went the distance for the Patriots. Hetrick pitched 7 innings and only allowed 2 earned runs on 7 hits while striking out a season high 12 hitters. Five different Patriots had RBI's. UVF scored 5 runs on 10 hits while committing 2 errors. Central Penn College scored 3 runs on 7 hits while committing 3 errors.
James Jackson 2-4, double, single, RBI
Wesley Hetrick 1-4, single
Cody Rak 2-4, double single, RBI
Jeffery Espinal – 3-4, 3 singles, RBI
Landyn Traffas – 1-4, single, RBI
Jacob Johnson – 1-3, single, RBI
Game 2
Jeffery Espinal got the start in game 2 and threw one his best games of the year. Espinal pitched 5 strong innings and struck out 10. The Patriot offense had a hard time getting anything going and dropped game 2 by a score of 5-0.
Central Penn scored 2 runs in the second, 1 run in the fourth an 2 runs in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead. The Patriots best chance came way back in the second inning when UVF had runners on first and second and two out but were unable to push any runs across. The Knights, Todd Cook shut down the Patriots offense and Central Penn went on to win by a final score of 5-0.
A Look at the Numbers
The Patriots were shut out and only managed 2 hits while committing 2 errors. Central Penn scored 5 runs on 8 hits while committing no errors.
Jeffery Espinal went 5 innings only allowing 3 earned runs while striking out a season high 10 batters.
Up Next
The Patriots will be back on the diamond for the last time this season on Saturday, April 22
nd. The Patriots will play host the Defenders of Clarks Summit University. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 pm.
Go Patriots!
