YORK, PA –
Game Information
• Score: No. 4 Johns Hopkins 15, Lesley 2
• Records: JHU (37-6), Lesley (21-18-1)
• Location: York, PA PeoplesBank Park
• First Pitch: 2:32 p.m.
• Weather: Mostly sunny – high-80s
• Pitchers of Record: W – Harrison Folk (3-0)
L – Tom Muratore (7-4)
The Short Story
• The fourth-ranked and top-seeded Johns Hopkins baseball team defeated Lesley, 15-2, in a comeback win in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional at PeoplesBank Park in York, PA Thursday. The Blue Jays will take on fourth-seeded Alvernia Friday with first pitch slated for 4:30 p.m.
• The Lynx earned the hot start, rounding home in the first inning. Vincent Taliercio hit a double as the first batter in the game and advanced to third on a fly out by Steven DePalma. Designated hitter Ryan Pumphret worked a walk to put runners on the corner for Lesley before Matthew Warner hit into a fielder’s choice. Conor Reynolds fielded the ball and threw it to second, where Mike Eberle failed to catch the ball, allowing Taliercio to cross home, Pumphret to reach third and Warner to stand on first. Alex Ross struck out J.P. Agiorgousis, and the Blue Jays tagged Warner out at second to close out the top of first inning with the score of 1-0.
• In the top of the third, the Lynx loaded the bases with two outs. Ross walked consecutive batters after Warner reached on another fielder’s choice. Mike Slaby, who hit the game-winning grand slam for Lesley in the NECC Championship, stepped up to the plate against Ross and struck out swinging on four pitches, as the Blue Jays escaped the inning without surrendering another Lynx run.
• In the bottom of the third, it was JHU’s turn to load the bases. Joe Conlon and Eberle hit back-to-back singles before Reynolds worked his 41st walk of the season to load the bases for the Blue Jays with no outs. Brian Lin followed his teammates on base with a four-pitch walk to give Hopkins its first run of the game and tie the score, 1-1. The Blue Jays claimed the lead as Ryan Orgielewicz singled to left center, driving in Reynolds and Lin for the 3-1 lead after three.
• Starter Ross ended his day in the top of the fifth inning. Harrison Folk took over mid-count against Pumphret and retired him on three-straight pitches for his first strikeout of the day. The Lynx went three up, three down in the fifth inning, bringing up the top of the Johns Hopkins lineup. Reynolds hit a leadoff single up the middle, and Lin hit a single of his own, advancing to second on the throw to put Blue Jays on third and second. Mike Smith hit the ball to third baseman Slaby who overthrew first to allow Reynolds and Lin to come home and Smith to reach third. Orgielewicz struck out for the first out before Alex Darwiche drove in Smith to give Hopkins a 6-1 lead. Jon Hayden doubled to right field to once again put Blue Jays on second and third. Tommy Meefollowed suit with a double of his own down the left field line, extending JHU’s lead to 8-1. Eberle reached first as he was hit by a pitch, and Mee rounded home on a wild pitch by Muratore before Reynolds stepped up to the plate and knocked the ball over the 38-foot-tall left field fence, giving the Blue Jays an 11-1 lead through five innings.
• After the Blue Jays’ eight-run fifth inning, the Lynx tacked on their second run in the sixth. Cervantes reached on a throwing error by Reynolds and rounded home on an RBI single by Ferragine to cut the Hopkins lead to 11-2.
• Johns Hopkins rattled off four more runs in the bottom of the seventh, tying its record for runs in an NCAA Tournament game. Conlon walked as the first batter in the inning, and Eberle doubled down the right field line to advance Conlon to third base. Lin singled through the right side to drive in Conlon, and pinch hitter Dillon Bowman doubled down the right field line to drive in Eberle. Lin took advantage of a Lynx error by the shortstop to add the Blue Jays’ third run of the inning. Bowman scored on a wild pitch for JHU’s 15th run of the game.
• T.J. Gordon caught back-to-back fly outs in center field to close out the game with the Hopkins victory, 15-2. The Blue Jays’ tied their record for largest margin of victory in an NCAA Tournament game with the 15-2 come-from-behind win over Lesley in the teams’ first meeting.
Inside the Box Score.
• Johns Hopkins tied its record for runs and margin of victory in the NCAA Tournament with the 15-2 win over Lesley.
• The Blue Jays’ 20 hits are tied for the second-most in an NCAA Regional game. JHU’s eight-run fifth inning tied the record for runs in an inning in NCAA Regional game.
• Every Hopkins starter recorded at least one hit in the victory. Conor Reynolds, Brian Lin and Mike Eberle each notched three hits in the win with at least two runs as well.
• Lin hit is his first career triple in the win, while Conor Reynolds hit his 19th career home run and 46th career double, taking sole possession of 11th and eighth in the Blue Jay record books.
What it Means
• The Blue Jays improve to 39-39 all-time in the NCAA Regional Tournament, including 27-29 in the Mid-Atlantic Regional.
• Hopkins won its ninth first round game in the NCAA Regional for its first first-game victory since 2010.
• JHU increases its win streak to 20 games, tying its streak from 2013 for the third-longest in program history. With a 37-6 record, the Blue Jays have now won at least 37 games in six seasons.
Up Next
• Johns Hopkins will face fifth-seeded Alvernia at PeoplesBank Park in York, PA, at 4:30 p.m.