Top-seeded and top-ranked Johns Hopkins won its 15th straight game to advance to the Centennial Conference baseball championship for the 15th time, while third-seeded Dickinson secured its first CC postseason wins in program history to move on to the final opposite the Blue Jays.
In the opening game of the day, Dickinson used a six-run bottom of the sixth inning to rally past fifth-seeded Haverford, 8-6, in the first elimination game of the double-elimination portion of the tournament.
In the winner's bracket, Hopkins then topped second-ranked Franklin & Marshall 5-1 to move on to the championship. Gabe Romano punched out a career-high 10 batters in a complete-game effort, the first complete game for a JHU pitcher this season.
Dickinson then blanked F&M 8-0 in the third and final game of the day, including a three home run fifth inning that broke the game open. Andrew Mazzone and Kaden Sigmon led the Red Devils at the plate throughout the day, with Mazzone going 4-for-10 through the two games with two home runs, six RBIs and three runs scored, and Sigon batting 6-for-10 with three RBIs. Koll Peichel hurled a complete game four-hitter with a career-high 15 strikeouts against the Diplomats to send the Red Devils to the championship for the first time.
This will mark the first title game appearance for the Red Devils, who had only once previously made the CC postseason (2004).
First pitch between Hopkins and Dickinson is set for noon on Sunday in Baltimore. The Blue Jays need one win to hoist the trophy, while the Red Devils will need to win twice.
Tuesday, May 2 | at #4 seed
Game 1: #5 Haverford d. #4 Swarthmore, 7-6
Thursday, May 4 | at #1 & #2 seeds
Game 2: #1 Johns Hopkins d. #5 Haverford, 5-2
Game 3: #2 Franklin & Marshall d. #3 Dickinson, 8-7
Saturday, May 6 | Baltimore, Md.
Game 4: #3 Dickinson d. #5 Haverford, 8-6
Game 5: #1 Johns Hopkins d. #2 Franklin & Marshall, 5-1
Game 6: #3 Dickinson d. #2 Franklin & Marshall, 8-0
Sunday, May 7 | Baltimore, Md.
Game 7: #1 Johns Hopkins vs. #3 Dickinson, 12 p.m
Game 8: Championship game, if necessary, begins 30 minutes after game 7