YORK, PA – Playing at Santander Stadium, home of the Atlantic League York Revolution, was not enough for the York College baseball squad to be satisfied; they needed a win there. Two and a half hours later, the Spartans earned that win, a 4-1 victory over the Elizabethtown College Blue Jays, sparked by timely two-out hits and tremendous pitching performances by freshmen hurlers Joel Kenney (Linthicum, Md. / Mount St. Joseph) and Mark Breitenbach (Collegeville, Pa. / Spring-Ford).

The Spartans are now 11-12 while the Blue Jays are 16-9 following the loss. The loss snaps Elizabethtown's five-game win streak.

Pitching and defense seemed to be the highlight in the beginning of the game as Spartan outfielder Brad Wenzel (Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood Area) made a diving grab in left center field with two outs and Blue Jay runners at first and second to keep the game scoreless heading into the bottom of the second.

Spartan head coach Mike Scappa on Wenzel's grab, "Our outfield defense was huge in this game. That one by Brad was a huge momentum shift."

Logan Countryman (Baltimore, Md. / Loch Raven) led off the bottom of the second with a single through the left side. He then stole second. After a ground out and a strike out, Scott Steffy (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown East) stepped in the box with two outs and roped a single to center field. Countryman would score from second but Steffy would advance all the way to third on the play as there was a fielding error on the Blue Jay's centerfielder Alex Holbert. Steffy was stranded at third but the Spartans took the early 1-0 lead.

The Blue Jays came fighting back in the top of the third as Tyler Weary ripped a two-out double to left center field. Luke Gatti then tied the game at one as he drilled an RBI single to left field.

Once again, the Spartans answered in the bottom of the third. After Stephen Miele (Allentown, Pa. / Salisbury) drew a leadoff walk, Derek Pitzer (York, Pa. / Dallastown) reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Miele to second. The Blue Jays then turned a 6-4-3 double play, which advanced Miele to third with two outs. Countryman gave the Spartans the 2-1 lead as he lashed an RBI single into left field.

As Kenney continued to keep the Blue Jays offense off balance, the Spartans produced a run the old fashion way in the bottom of the fourth. Seth Brosius (Magnolia, Del. / Caesar Rodney) stroked a leadoff double down the left field line. Steffy then grounded out to second, advancing Brosius to third. Brosius would then score on a sacrifice fly to left field by J.J. Oleniacz (Great Falls, Va. / Langley) to expand the Spartan lead to two.

Scappa was happy to see the Spartan manufacture a few runs in the win.

"That's been one of our struggles at times before but recently, we have started getting better. That was a good job of manufacturing runs."

After two more scoreless innings by Kenney, Breitenbach entered the game out of the pen and he picked up where Kenney left off as he retired the side in the seventh, which was followed by him striking out the side in the top of the eighth. That momentum certainly carried over into the bottom of the eighth for the Spartan offense.

Right after Blue Jay pitcher Richy Masciarelli replaced Anthony Lippy, Christian Bilan (Lumberton, N.J. / Camden Catholic) led off the bottom of the eighth with a single to left field. Brosius then laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing Bilan to second. After Steffy walked and Oleniacz struck out, Wenzel added an insurance run for the Spartans as he singled, scoring Bilan from second.

Breitenbach allowed back to back singles to Aaron Rahn and Frank Ragozzino to start off the ninth but shut the door down on the Blue Jays right after, producing a strike out and a pair of ground outs to seal the Spartans 4-1 victory at Santander Stadium in York, Pennsylvania.

Kenney earned his first career victory as he allowed one run on six hits in six innings pitched. He struck out five Blue Jays in the win. Breitenbach recorded his first career save as he gave up two hits while striking out five in his three innings of work.

"Both of those guys [Joel Kenney and Mark Breitenbach] have really bright futures," said Scappa. "Kenney is a bulldog and his makeup is off the charts. He was able to bulldog his way through and minimize their run production. Mark is a guy who has pitched really, really well. He's a very tough competitor with a lot of self-confidence."

Dylan Manning suffered the loss as he gave up three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings pitched. Manning struck out four. Josh Kwak and Lippy combined for two hits and three Spartan strikeouts in 3.1 innings of relief. Masciarelli allowed one run on two hits in one inning of work. He struck out two in the loss.

For the Spartans, Wenzel, Countryman, Bilan, and Steffy recorded two hits a piece. Oleniacz and Brosius added one hit each. Oleniacz, Wenzel, Countryman, and Steffy tallied an RBI for the Spartans in the win.

Tyler Weary and Rahn led the Blue Jays with two hits each. Alex Holbert, Gatti, Lorenz, and Ragozzino contributed a hit in the loss. Gatti recorded the lone RBI for the Blue Jays.

Looking forward to Frostburg, Scappa stated, "To be able to come away with a W, you have to compete hard. Win or lose we have to battle and compete every game."

The Spartans travel to Frostburg, Maryland on April 10, a postponement from two days ago, to face the Frostburg State University Bobcats in a Capital Athletic Conference contest. First pitch is slated for 3:30 pm. 

Game recap written by Sean Naylor – Athletic Communications Student Assistant

Joel Kenney photo courtesy of David Sinclair