HAMPTON, VA. -- Senior Travis Franklin went 4-for-5 with a two-run home run while sophomore Chris Aldridge was 3-for-5 with three runs batted in as the Apprentice School knocked off Bloomsburg University 7-3 in the opening game of the 18th annual Builder Invitational on Thursday.
The Builders gave up a run in the top of the first as Tom Richards drove in Tim Ravel who walked. In the bottom of the first, Aldridge started with a bunt single and was forced out on a Chris Scarola grounder. Following a groundout that advanced Scarola, Franklin then took one over the left-field fence for a 2-1 Builder lead.
Apprentice School then scratched another run across in the second as the Builders had three straight singles from Ryan Hendrickson, Zach Harding and Trevin Wilson before Chris Aldridge plated Hendrickson with a force out.
In the third, the Builders erupted for four runs as Perry and Franklin singled with a walk to Devorn Lake loading the bases. Matt Zapf forced out Lake which scored Perry for a 4-1 lead. Hendrickson was hit by a pitch and a walk to Harding plated Franklin. After a fly out, Aldridge singled richocheted off the pitcher and second baseman into left-center which scored Hendrickson and Zapf to bump the lead to 7-1.
Bloomsburg responded with a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Vince Smarrelli to score Josh Schroeder who started the inning with a double. In the seventh, Keith Meyer blasted a solo home run to left-center to cut it to 7-4.
Senior Daniel Lutz earned his first win of the year with five innings allowing four hits and two runs. Perry threw three innings allowing four hits and one run, while Aldridge pitched the ninth allowed a hit and held off the Huskies for the victory. Wilson was also 2-for-4 for the Builders as they out-hit Bloomsburg 13-9.
Apprentice School returns to action on Friday at noon when they face Kutztown University in the fourth game of the Builder Invitational.