Willis Tallies Four Hits, Four RBI, Two Runs

WESTMINSTER, MD - Freshman Joe Willis (Mullica Hill, NJ/Kingsway Regional) went 4-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored as visiting Washington College downed McDaniel, 16-11, in a slugfest on Tuesday afternoon in Centennial Conference baseball action at Preston Field. The Shoremen improve to 11-7 overall and 6-3 in conference play, while the Green Terror drop to 5-12 and 1-8 respectively.

Washington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when freshman Sean Connole (Mt. Airy, MD/St. John's Catholic) scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior Matt Boucher (Alexandria, VA/Bishop Ireton). McDaniel scored two times in its half of the first to grab a 2-1 lead. Brandon Kline scored on a Shoremen fielding error and Chris Zimmerman scored on a Russell Coover single. The Shoremen tied the game in the top of the second on a sac fly by sophomore John Rolewicz (Bear, DE/Salesianum) that chased in freshman Ryan Mulhearn (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area).

The Shoremen took the lead for good with a two-run fourth. After the Green Terror retired the first two WC hitters, Rolewicz kept the top of the frame going with a single to centerfield and then Boucher connected on a two-run home run to right field to put Washington up for good at 4-2.

The Shoremen broke open the game with a five-run top of the fifth to take a 9-2 lead. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Willis hit a single to right field that scored both sophomore Ben Jardot (McLean, VA/Flint Hill School) and freshman Kyle Aldrich (Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) to make it 6-2. Connole singled in Mulhearn to increase the lead to 7-2. Boucher walked with the sacks packed to force in Willis to make it 8-2. Sophomore Ryan Normoyle (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) completed the scoring with a sac fly to left that plated Connole. The Green Terror got one run in their half of the fifth when Kline stole home to cut the WC lead to 9-3.

The Shoremen got their seven-run cushion back on a Willis single up the middle that scored Aldrich to make it 10-3 in the sixth inning.

Washington scored six runs in the top of the seventh to make it 16-3. Normoyle doubled down the left field line to drive in Boucher to give WC an 11-3 lead. Jardot followed Normoyle's at-bat with an RBI double of his own to push the cushion to 12-3. Mulhearn tripled to right-center that scored two to extend the bulge to 14-3. Willis drove in his fourth run of the day on a single through the right side that increased the lead to 15-3. Rolewicz's RBI single capped the scoring in the top half of the frame and gave the guests a 13-run lead.

McDaniel scored two runs in the seventh, three times in the eighth and two more runs in the ninth to cut the lead to 16-11. Despite scoring eight runs in the last three frames, the Green Terror left eight runners on base.

For Washington, Mulhearn went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI, Jardot went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and Rolewicz added three hits in five at-bats with two RBI. Four WC players, Connole, Boucher, Normoyle and Aldrich all had two hits with Normoyle and Boucher driving in three teammates and Aldrich reaching home three times. All nine starters for Washington had a hit and the team totaled 22 hits in the victory. Sophomore Shane Mattingly (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) went six innings to get the win and is now 3-1 on the season. He went six innings, giving up just three runs, two of which were earned.

The Green Terror tallied 16 hits in the setback. Kline and Patrick Christopher each went 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Chris Zimmerman came in as a pinch-hitter and went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Coover was 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Kevin Pruitt was 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Andrew Worm went 2-for-3 for the Green Terror. On the mound, Mike Freeman took the loss and falls to 0-2.

It was Washington's first win at Preston Field since an 8-4 victory on April 20, 2007.

The Shoremen return to action tomorrow with a 3:30 p.m. non-conference home contest against Arcadia.