Bullets secure spot in playoffs with two wins
Photo credit: Office of Athletic Communications
By Charlie Williamson, Staff Writer
Last week the Gettysburg College Baseball Team (22-15-2, 10-7-1 CC) took both games from McDaniel and lost two to Haverford. On Wednesday, the Bullets earned 6-0 and 14-6 wins over McDaniel.
The first game featured Centennial Conference E.R.A leader (1.15) Chase Stopyra’s fourth game this season going at least eight innings without allowing a run. Stopyra fired eight scoreless frames while scattering five hits and walking none. He also added seven strikeouts to tie a career high.
The Bullets struck first with a first pitch solo shot from junior Chuck Probst. Probst now has the single season record for total bases with 104, breaking the previous record of 101 by Al Posch ‘14.
Gettysburg went on to score three more runs in the fourth after three straight singles from seniors Will Anderson, Connor Tom and J.J. Lucido. A series of McDaniel errors allowed all three players to score, cushioning the Bullets lead.
In the second game, Connor Tom provided the pivotal blow when, with a 2-2 tie in the seventh, he delivered a grand slam. Feeding off that momentum, the Bullets scored seven more runs in the eighth and another in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
The game featured another strong Bullets’ pitching performance from junior Brad Demartino (5-1), who went 7 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and fanning four to pick up his fifth victory.
“Against McDaniel, we put it all together,” Chase Stopyra said. He also commented on the impressiveness of the pitching, hitting and fielding in Wednesday’s contests.
The team’s eight seniors were honored before the games on Sunday against Haverford. Lucido celebrated by hitting his first home run of his career in the second game in the bottom of the seventh to give the Bullets a 4-3 lead.
Connor Tom and Will Anderson also had big days in their final appearance at the college, going 6-for-10 and 4-for-8 respectively. Tom added two doubles, a triple and five RBIs while Anderson crushed two doubles and a triple.
Although Gettysburg lost both games 6-13 and 5-7, they clinched the fourth seed in the Centennial Conference playoffs, meaning they will play a game at Hopkins on Thursday. If they win, they will play in the championship on Saturday against the winner of Haverford and Ursinus.
On the first game, Stopyra said the game against Haverford got out of reach because of big momentum shifts. However, he said the team hit and pitched well despite losing focus in some at-bats.
Probst and Tom both agree that the energy the team brings to each game will be important towards a deep playoff run.
“I’m really hopeful that we can bring home a title,” Probst said. “We’ve all put so much time and heart in from the offseason until now, that I really think we can do something pretty big.”
With a bunt single in the second game, Probst became the fourth Bullet to achieve 100 hits in his career.
“Hopkins doesn’t phase our team,” Stopyra said. “We should have beaten them twice this season, and just like Haverford [on Sunday], we lost focus in crucial areas.”
Tom and Stopyra also said that a key part of the game will be the mindset going into game.
“I think the most important key to this game at Hopkins is to stay relaxed,” Tom said. “I think if we remember why we play baseball in the first place, and that is for the love of the game, we will be capable of performing at our full potential.”
