Tim Lengle-Wilson

Wilson used eleven hits in five innings and a dominant pitching performance by Ben Kulp to roll over Muhlenberg 13-1 in Laureldale. Kulp struck out seven consecutive batters in the complete game three-hitter on Friday night. “He’s great every time he goes out there, pounds the zone. We had no doubt with him on the mound that we were gonna win this game easily…What really sets him apart is off the field. His attitude, he’s a grinder,” said junior outfielder Tim Lengle. Kulp improved to (4-0) this season after striking out a dozen and walking just two. “The slider behind in counts, landing it for strikes, was really critical,” he explained. The (3-4) Muhls struggled to catch up to the low-90s fastball from the 6’2, 215-pound senior. The West Chester commit gave credit to head coach Bill Underwood. “Coach Underwood and I are on the same page. I can trust him. The four years of experience has really helped build our relationship calling pitches,” noted Kulp. Underwood pitched at Kent State and was a 17th round draft pick by the Yankees in 1992.

Lengle got the (6-3) Bulldogs on the board with a sacrifice fly to left field in the first inning. Muhlenberg responded in the bottom half of the frame with a two-out, RBI single to center by Cole Moody. Following a walk to Mike Canfield, Kulp retired nine straight hitters. He piled up nine strikeouts through three innings. Wilson went up 2-1 in the second thanks to three errors by the Muhls. The Bulldogs tacked on three runs in the third for a 5-1 advantage. After a RBI single by Lengle, senior catcher Gabe Spohn got down a squeeze bunt that brought home Landon Kostelac. Matt Mallis, who was 1-for-1 with two walks and two runs, delivered a RBI single. Ryan Rosenberry, a junior righty, was charged with five runs, four earned, on six hits and four walks in 2.1 innings. Muhlenberg committed five errors compared to one for Wilson. The only run allowed by Kulp was unearned. He lowered his ERA to 1.93 with 47 strikeouts over 25.1 innings.

Senior southpaw Anthony Hatt took over for Drake Hoffman in the fifth. Hoffman gave up just one hit in 1.2 innings. Hatt started the fifth with back-to-back walks. Alex Frantz, the No. 9 hitter, provided a RBI double down the first base line to make it 6-1. Aidan Bonte then replaced Hatt on the mound. He walked Jack Gabel and then gave up a two-run double down the left field line to Ryan Marmolejos. A wild pitch increased the margin to 9-1. A two-run double to deep center by Lengle put the Bulldogs in front 11-1. He was 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs. “At the start of the season, I felt like I was getting a little unlucky, but I’ve been hitting the ball hard and good things have happened,” he replied. His brother Pat, a talented freshman third baseman, went 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks, and two runs. “The sky is the limit. I didn’t expect this. It’s looking really good,” said Tim Lengle about Pat’s potential. Pat Lengle is 12-for-22 through nine games.

Canfield took over for Bonte on the hill and Aidan Incledon greeted him with a two-run double to left. The fourth double of the inning put Wilson on top 13-1 in the fifth. The Bulldogs ended the night with six doubles. They entered Friday with a .336 team batting average. Marmolejos and Frantz each had a pair of hits. Wilson also took advantage of nine walks. Cooper Burr and Gavin Moody had singles in the bottom of the fifth for the Muhls.

The Bulldogs are riding a five-game winning streak. They’re a perfect (5-0) in league contests. “We feel like the county championship is ours. We’ve been visualizing it. The competition is pretty good, but we have no doubt in our mind,” stated Tim Lengle.