The Shipley boys’ baseball team (3-4, 1-0 FSL) won their first Friends’ League game on Tuesday, April 1, beating Abington Friends 12-2.

The Gators set the mood early in the game by scoring first, with sophomore John McCann and junior Aaron Melman getting two quick RBIs in the bottom of the 1st inning off of a grounder hit by senior Dave Balderston.  Later, in the bottom of the 2nd, the Gators increased their lead with 6 RBIs and 2 walks home. Junior Corey Rogoff and freshman Kyle Rosenbluth were able to slam balls into the outfield, bringing home a combined total of 4 runners, with a 5th crossing the plate due to an error after Rosenbluth’s hit. 

Meanwhile, the Gators were able to secure dominance in the field as well, allowing no Abington runs in the first four innings. McCann and Balderston both had a strong presence in the infield, causing many outs. Senior Mike Keiser played well on the mound in his first Friends’ League game as pitcher, as did freshman Conrad Ambrette and senior Chris Smith in later innings.

The Gators commanded a strong lead entering the fifth inning, but Abington Friends was able to score their first two runs of the game, which seemed to hail a change in the mood of the game. However, Shipley was able to come away with the win in the bottom of the 5th when Balderston stole home after an error, ending the game with the mercy rule.

The Shipley coaches were pleased with their players’ performances although there are still several things they will work on in the upcoming weeks.

Wyatt Smith ’10