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JERSEY SHORE -- Jersey Shore pitcher Jerrin Loomis understands this year is different. The senior is not only on to his third coach in four years, but his veteran leadership plays a big part in this team's success. Against a savvy and talented Williamsport Millionaires team, Loomis stepped up in a big way. After making two hits in the first and third innings, he pitched Shore's final three innings and closed out a big, 4-2 HAC-I win in the Bulldogs' home opener.
Jersey Shore made its mark early on in the game when it struck three runs on three hits to begin the game. Four different Bulldogs got involved and set the tone, including Ian Carlin who brought in a Loomis run on a sacrifice fly. Carlin went 1 for 3 along with Gage Martzall and Gideon Dapp while Collin Berguson went 1 for 2. Loomis led all hitters going 2 for 3.
"It was huge for the program. I told the boys out there that they deserved this win," Jersey Shore coach Joe Dunn said about his team. "They've been working hard. The seniors have been through it, they've had some tough times out here in the past four years and they deserve to win so I can't say enough about Jerrin."
Williamsport scattered its runs throughout the game, keeping it close when they needed to, but the Millionaires couldn't put runs up on the board when it mattered. The Bulldogs took advantage of that with a solid defensive outing behind Loomis, but when it truly counted, the future Lock Haven University pitcher dealt pitches in the strike zone when it mattered.
Loomis closed the game with four innings of work, giving up just one run and striking out six batters.
"Just that 'I do this' and that I needed to get it done," Loomis said after the game when asked what his mentality in the final two innings was. "To just have the confidence and make sure that I got it done today."
Loomis created the magic, but starting sophomore pitcher Hunter Enders did the early damage, holding Williamsport scoreless through two innings. He pitched three innings and had four strikeouts and just two walks while holding the Millionaires to one run.
Williamsport gave itself a chance to win the game. In the top of the seventh inning, down two runs, Lucas Naughton earned a walk and Christian Franzen hit a single to give the Millionaires runners in scoring position after Franzen advanced to second on a wild pitch.
That's when Loomis calmed the nerves of his teammates and Shore's fanbase with a strikeout and a catch in deep right field to close the game. Caiden Helmrich led the Millionaires with a 1 for 3 effort while six Williamsport players tallied hits, all going 1 for 4.
"We played a really good baseball game (and) they (Jersey Shore) played a really good baseball game," Williamsport coach Kyle Schneider said after the loss. "We left too many guys on base, that's what it comes down to. We pitched well enough to win, their guys pitched well. It's just the way baseball goes."
The Millionaires practically owned the plate in the second and third innings. Brown hit a double and scored a run and Robinson hit an RBI single but Shore's Enders stranded runners. In the fourth, a couple of singles, one an RBI, gave Williamsport a boost.
When it needed to turn the corner in the sixth inning, it came up short with no hits and just two walks, leaving itself a desperation hitting barrage in the seventh.
"They know they left too many guys on base," coach Schneider said about what was said after the game. "You're not going to win too many ball games in our conference scoring two runs. I let them know that, they know that, they know what they need to do about their approaches and move on from here."
Although Jersey Shore got off to a strong start, both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings after Williamsport slowly creeped its way back into the game. Martzall and Loomis, the third and fourth hitters in the lineup, were kickstarters for the Bulldogs in the early going with a double by Martzall and a 2-RBI single by Loomis. Dapp kept that going with a single and Carlin an RBI.
Jersey Shore only mustered two more hits for the remainder of the game, both coming in the second and third innings. But that gave the Bulldogs enough confidence to display the defensive showing needed to beat a well-coached and versatile Williamsport team at home, a team Jersey Shore lost to by 10 runs last year.
"Top to bottom, that's the thing. When I say that, I'm not saying 1-9, I'm saying 1-21 that's on our lineup. Everyone is ready to go, everyone is ready to step in," coach Dunn said. "We used every sub we had on Monday against Shikellamy and it was those guys who turned it around. Tonight (Wednesday) we subbed guys out, moved things around and they stayed patient."
Jersey Shore's reserves were ready to go on Monday against Shikellamy, and the veterans were ready to show forth in a big, early season game. Trusting Loomis showed a big part of Shore's identity and where it's hoping to go and build towards. Last year Loomis was a starting pitcher with relief pitchers subbing him out mid-way through. But Loomis refused to shy away from change and put the team on his back.
Williamsport 001 100 0-2 7 1
Jersey Shore 301 000 0-4 6 1
W-Jerrin Loomis. L-Cole Dietrick.
Top Jersey Shore hitters: Jerrin Loomis 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Gage Martzall 1-3, 2B, run; Ian Carlin 1-3, 2 RBIs; Collin Berguson 1-2; Gideon Dapp 1-3. Top Williamsport hitters: Deacon Brown 1-4, 2B, run; Cayden Robertson 1-4, RBI; Lucas Naughton 1-4, run; Caiden Helmrich 1-3, RBI; Christian Franzen 1-4; Coen Britton 1-4; Kellen Jackson 1-4.