ELIZABETHTHOWN COLLEGE BASEBALL
Sunday, March 4, 2007

Elizabethtown Gets First Win of Season in Doubleheader Split with Westminster (Pa.) Sunday Night in Florida

FT. PIERCE, Fla. --- Elizabethtown College picked up its first win of the 2007 season in the second game of a doubleheader split with Westminster College (Pa.) in Ft. Pierce, Fla. Sunday night. The Blue Jays fell 5-3 in the first game and won the second game 4-3. Elizabethtown is now 1-3 overall, while Westminster is 1-1.

In the first game, Elizabethtown scored all three of its runs in the top of the third inning, while Westminster scored one run in the bottom of the first, three in the bottom of the third, and one in the bottom of the fifth. In that game, catcher Jared Auman (Northumberland, PA/Shikellamy) hit 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI. Second baseman Adam Sheibley (Landisburg, PA/West Perry) went 2-for-4 with one RBI and a run scored, and Dean Whetham (Wilmington, DE/Brandywine) batted 1-for-3 with a run.

In the second game, Elizabethtown starting pitcher Sam Heaps (Landenberg, PA/Avon Grove) earned his first win of the season, going six innings with three runs and eight hits allowed. Andy Mees (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) earned his first save of the season, striking out two while pitching the final inning.

Elizabethtown scored one run in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead, and Westminster scored its first run in the top of the fifth. Elizabethtown took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, but Westminster tied the game 3-3 in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Elizabethtown scored the winning run as first-year student Rodney Francis (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) took over at designated hitter and singled in his first collegiate plate appearance. Francis stole second base, and fellow first-year shortstop Matt Vinagro (Fredericksburg, VA/Stafford) singled him home. It was Vinagro’s first collegiate RBI.

At the plate, Mike Donahue (Hatfield, PA/Lansdale Catholic) scored a pair of runs on two walks. Ryan White (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) batted 3-for-3 with one RBI to boost his season batting average to .444 through four games. Whetham hit 1-for-3 with one RBI, and Auman and Tom Semanek (Swoyersville, PA/Bishop Hoban) each batted 1-for-3 with a double.

Elizabethtown returns to action today in a single game against Ursinus College at Ft. Pierce at noon. On Wednesday, March 7, the Blue Jays will face Bethany College (W.Va.) and Eastern College at 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., respectively, at Ft. Pierce, Fla.

Westminster 5, Elizabethtown 3
(03-04-07 at Fort Pierce, Fla.) (Game 1)
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Elizabethtown ....... 003 000 0 - 3  8 0 (0-3)
Westminster ......... 103 010 X - 5 11 1 (1-0)
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Pitchers: Elizabethtown - Tyler Hoffman; Andy Mees(3); Chris Minakowski(6). Westminster - Andrew Robison; Tony Cunningham(7).
Win-Andrew Robison(1-0) Save-Tony Cunningham(1) Loss-Tyler Hoffman(0-2) T-1:45 A-70

Elizabethtown 4, Westminster 3
(03-04-07 at Fort Pierce, Fla.) (Game 2)
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Westminster ......... 000 012 0 - 3 8 0 (1-1)
Elizabethtown ....... 001 021 X - 4 8 1 (1-3)
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Pitchers: Westminster - Scott Carney; Dave Evans(4); Mike McCoy(5); Tony Cunningham(6).
Elizabethtown - Sam Heaps; Chris Minakowski(7); Andy Mees(7).
Win-Sam Heaps(1-1) Save-Andy Mees(1) Loss-Mike McCoy(0-1) T-2:20 A-85
C.Minakowski faced 1 batter in the 7th.