Ryan Orgielewicz, Johns Hopkins
Game Information
• Score: No. 4 Johns Hopkins 13, Alvernia 9
• Records: JHU (38-6), Alvernia (29-14-2)
• Location: York, PA PeoplesBank Park
• First Pitch: 6:25 p.m.
• Weather: High 80s, slight breeze
• Pitchers of Record: W – Cameron Mineo (7-0)
L – Antonio Baglivo (2-1)
The Short Story
• In its first night game of the season, the fourth-ranked and top-seeded Johns Hopkins baseball team came back from a five-run deficit to defeat fifth-seeded Alvernia, 13-9, Friday in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional at PeoplesBank Park in York, PA. The Blue Jays scored six runs in the ninth inning, and senior Cameron Mineo struck out five and did not allow a hit in the final 2.2 innings to secure the Hopkins win. Ryan Orgielewicz hit two home runs in the victory. The Blue Jays will take on the winner of second-seeded Shenandoah and third-seeded Wheaton (MA) Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
• The Blue Jays jumped out to an early lead against Alvernia. With one out, Brian Lin singled to left center and stole second. Mike Smith traded places with Lin with a double down the left field line. Designated hitter Ryan Orgielewicz stepped up to the plate and homered to the play place in left center field to give the Blue Jays a 3-0 lead after the top of the first. Alvernia pitcher Dunne also got out to a good start, striking out of a trio of Blue Jays to end the inning.
• The Crusaders responded with a couple of runs in the bottom of the first. Rieger hit a leadoff double to left center and advanced to third on a ground out by Cirilli. Nathan Sides singled through the right side to send Rieger home and cut JHU's lead to 3-1. Sides crossed home plate on a wild pitch after advancing the bases on a single by Shaffer and a ground out by Briner. Dubas worked a walk from an 0-2 count, putting Crusaders on the corner. Esposito singled to third baseman Smith, driving in Shaffer to tie the score 3-3.
• Alvernia took the lead in the bottom of the second as the ball went under the glove of Smith through to left field, allowing Gaynor, who singled to first, advanced to second on a bunt single by Rieger and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cirilli, to round home. The Crusaders loaded the bases as Josh Hejka took over at the mound for starter Nick Bodner, inheriting a 3-2 count against Shaffer and throwing the final ball to load the bases with one out. Hejka walked the next batter, Briner, on four pitches to extend the Alvernia lead to 5-3. Dubas flied out to center fielder Tommy Mee, allowing Sides to score before Shaffer was tagged out at third to end the inning with the 6-3 lead for the Crusaders.
• The Blue Jays stranded a runner in each of the second and third innings. Joe Conlon hit a single as the first batter of the second inning before three consecutive outs, and Orgielewicz drilled the left field wall for a double as the leadoff batter of the third inning, but a pair of fly outs and another strikeout stranded him. The Blue Jays stranded a Crusader in the third inning as Hejka struck out a pair and assisted the ground out by Rieger to end the inning.
• In the bottom of the fourth, Alvernia added two runs to its lead. With two outs, Shaffer worked a walk and Briner singled through the right side to advance Shaffer to third. Briner took of for second, and Conlon overthrew second base to allow Shaffer to score. Dubas reached first base on a walk before Esposito singled to right center, driving in Briner for the 8-3 Crusader lead.
• With a 3-2 count and two outs, Orgielewicz sent the ball over the right field fence for his second homer of the game, the first two-home run game of his career. That was all for the Blue Jays in the fifth inning, cutting Alvernia's lead to 8-4.
• The Blue Jays scored again in the top of the seventh. As the first batter of the inning, Conlon doubled to left field, second hit of the night. Reynolds traded places with Conlon with a double of his own, his first hit of the night, cutting the Crusaders' lead to 8-5. Hopkins proceeded to load the bases as Lin followed Reynolds on base with a single and Smith worked a four-pitch walk as the first batter to face reliever Antonio Baglivo. With another walk, Orgielewicz took over first base and Reynolds crossed home. After the two walks, Baglivo struck out back-to-back-to-back Blue Jays to end the inning and preserve the 8-6 Alvernia lead.
• The Crusaders got one back in the bottom of the seventh. Gaynor hit a double down the left field line and rounded home on back-to-back sacrifice bunts. Relief pitcher Cameron Mineo struck out Sides to end the inning, trailing 9-6.
• Johns Hopkins stranded three for the second straight inning in the top of the eighth. Mike Eberle worked a walk, and Conlon singled to right field. Lin grounded out to the pitcher to advance the pair to second and third. Smith reached on an error by third baseman Gaynor, allowing Eberle to score the lone run of the inning. The Crusaders intentionally walked Orgielewicz to load the bases with two outs. Mee flew out to center field to conclude the inning with a 9-7 Blue Jay deficit.
• Mineo brought about the ninth inning after retiring three straight batters for Alvernia. Mineo struck out Shaffer looking after trailing in the count 3-1. Briner grounded out to Eberle, and Mineo ended the inning as he struck Dubas out swinging.
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the ninth. Tim Kutcher entered the game as a pinch hitter and was hit by a pitch to take first base. Darwiche doubled to left center to advance Kutcher to third, and Eberle singled through the left side to score Kutcher and cut the Alvernia lead to 9-8. Conlon followed suit with a single to left field, driving in Darwiche to tie the score. Reynolds walked to load the bases, and Lin hit into a fielder's choice, with Eberle out at home plate. Smith sent a single up the middle to give the Blue Jays the 10-9 lead as Conlon rounded home. Orgielewicz stepped up to the plate and hit the ball to center field, where Rieger committed a bases-clearing error, extending the Hopkins lead to 13-9.
• Once again, Mineo faced the minimum number of batters. Iacobelli grounded out to Eberle before Mineo struck out a pair singing, giving the Blue Jays the miraculous 13-9 comeback victory.
Inside the Box Score.
• Ryan Orgielewicz homered twice in the game, for his first game with two home runs. Orgielewicz now has 20 career home runs and is tied for ninth in the Hopkins record book. This marks the second time that a Blue Jay has hit two home runs in an NCAA Tournament game.
• Cameron Mineo tied his career high for strikeouts as he struck out five Crusaders in the final 2.2 innings to pick up his team-leading seventh win of the season.
• The Blue Jays improve to 27-0 when they outhit their opponents, outhitting Alvernia 13-12. Hopkins is also 13-0 when it hits two or more home runs in a game.
What it Means
• The Blue Jays improve to 40-39 all-time in the NCAA Regional Tournament, including 28-29 in the Mid-Atlantic Regional.
• The Blue Jays improve to 6-4-1 all-time against Alvernia, including 2-3 in NCAA Regional play.
• Hopkins has come from behind to win 25 times this season, including in seven-straight games. This is the second time this season that the Blue Jays have rebounded from a five-run deficit.
• JHU increases its win streak to 21 games, the third-longest in program history. With a 38-6 record, the Blue Jays have now won at least 38 games in five seasons.