The Basics
• Score: Hopkins – 5 • Bethel - 1
• Records: Hopkins (9-1) • Bethel (MN) (1-1)
• Location: Fort Myers, FL (PDC 5)
• Pitching Decision: W – Jack Bunting (3-0) • L – Michael Bohlek (1-1)
• The Short Story: Behind an excellent start from Jack Bunting and three hits and two RBIs from Frank Clara, the Johns Hopkins baseball team opened its spring break trip with a 5-1 victory over Bethel on Thursday afternoon.

How it Happened
• Hopkins jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Tim Kutcher and Mike Eberle reached base via a hit by pitch and walk. Clara then doubled home Kutcher to make the score 1-0 and Eberle came around to score on a fielder's choice off the bat of Chris DeGiacomo.
• Bunting worked well in his second start of the season for Hopkins allowing no runs to the Royals. A leadoff single in the fourth was quickly erased by a double play and after a walk and an error began the Bethel sixth, Bunting got another double play followed by a groundout to end the inning.
• JHU sent another run across the plate in the fifth on a Kutcher groundout which scored Adam Kohl who doubled to lead off the inning as the Blue Jays took a 3-0 lead. They added two more runs in the seventh on RBI singles from Chris Festa and Clara to pull ahead 5-0.
• The Royals got back-to-back singles with one out in the top of the ninth and got their first run of the day on a Marcus Krupke single to make it a four-run game but Hejka got the final out of the inning as JHU took the 5-1 victory.
 
Team Leaders
Johns Hopkins:
Hits:  Clara - 3
RBI:  Clara - 2
Strikeouts:  Bunting - 4

Bethel:
Hits:  Parker Mullenbach - 3
RBI:  Krupke - 1
Strikeouts:  Bohlke - 6

What it Means
• The Blue Jays are currently ranked ninth in the D3baseball.com poll, which is Hopkins highest ranking since February 25, 2018. Johns Hopkins is receiving votes in the Collegiate Baseball poll.
• JHU is now 5-2 all-time against the Royals with all of the meetings coming in Florida.
• Johns Hopkins has won its last three games to open the spring break trip in Florida.
• With his second save of the season, Hejka is now third all-time in program history in saves as the senior right-hander has 10 in his career. The Blue Jay record in 14.

Inside the Box Score
• Clara led the Blue Jays with three hits and two RBIs in the game. He has knocked in five runs this season.
• Bunting went 6.1 innings to earn his third victory of the season. He allowed just five hits and two walks while striking out four. Hejka earned his second save on the year as he pitched the final 2.2 innings allowing four hits and one run. He did not walk a batter.

Up Next
• The Blue Jays return to the diamond tomorrow, Friday, March 15 for a 10 am match-up against top-ranked Wooster.