PHILADELPHIA – The Thomas Jefferson University baseball team opened up the 2021 campaign with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Mansfield University, earning 8-5 and 4-1 victories on Saturday afternoon at Father Judge High School.
 
GAME ONE – W, 8-5
The Mounties wasted little time getting on the board, leading off the contest with a homer to left center. It was one of many for both teams on the day with the wind carrying the ball towards left field. After allowing the long ball, Patrick Hohlfeld settled in on the mound allowing just one other hit through the fourth inning.
 
The Rams broke through for five runs in the third. Dylan Rees was hit by a pitch to start the frame then Richard Joa followed up with a base hit. Alex Gonzalez and Arturo Figueroa tallied back-to-back RBI singles to give Jefferson the lead. With two on, Efrain Santiago blasted a three-run shot over the fence in left center to give the Rams some breathing room.
 
After Joa plated CJ Goodz with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, Mansfield closed the gap to three (6-3) with a two-run bomb in the fifth. However, Ryan Sawyer responded with a two-run shot of his own in the bottom half to make it an 8-3 game. The Mounties tried to climb back into it in the seventh, adding another two-run homer, but Bryce Herman closed out the win, leaving a pair of runners on base.
 
Quick Hits
Efrain Santiago: 1-2, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Patrick Hohlfeld: Win, 5.0 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 8 K
Ryan Sawyer: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
 
GAME TWO – W, 4-1
A pitching duel broke out in the nightcap with Jefferson's Jem Sisco and Mansfield's Colby Shimmell allowing just two hits combined through the first four innings. The duo struck out an impressive 25 batters on the day. The Rams solved Shimmell first, posting an unearned run in the third on a squeeze play by Gonzalez. The Mounties managed to score in the fifth on a sac fly.
 
With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Rees gave Jefferson the lead again with a homer to left field. Two spots later, Gonzalez added some insurance with another jack to left. The Rams added the final tally in the sixth on a RBI single by Zack Austin. Matt Bukavich pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to pick up the save.
 
Quick Hits
Jem Sisco: Win, 6.0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 12 K
Alex Gonzalez: 1-2, HR, 2 RBI, R
Dylan Rees: 1-3, HR
 
UP NEXT
Jefferson and Mansfield wrap up their weekend series with another doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch is at noon.