May 2, 2013
By Sean Ellenby, Johns Hopkins Athletic Communications Assistant
With a lineout to first and consecutive fly outs, the Johns Hopkins baseball team's 2012 season came to a menacing halt in the knockout round of the Centennial Conference Tournament.
The Blue Jays had squandered a five-run lead to Washington College, a team it had previously beaten 16 consecutive times dating back to 2005, effectively snapping the program's five-year reign over the conference.
"It was just embarrassing," said senior first baseman Jeff Lynch. "We were the team that broke the streak -- the team that didn't win the conference and the team that didn't get into the [NCAA] Tournament. Nobody ever wants to be that team."
Hard-pressed to change the culture of the team for his senior season, Lynch and a group of veteran teammates held a critical meeting days after their defeat.
"We kind of talked about the season and we knew we didn't want to have that feeling again," Lynch said. "And that's what we've used as motivation ever since."
Drawing upon the success of the 2010 team that advanced to the College World Series his freshman year, Lynch was adamant about revitalizing the team's overall drive and work ethic in the offseason.
"[Lynch's] greatest contribution has been the way he has transformed the mentality of our team -- the work ethic and offseason stuff," said head coach Bob Babb. "I think everybody respects him and he's a fierce competitor who wants to win."
To say the hard work has paid off is merely an understatement. Selected to finish second in the conference and considered an afterthought by the national polls in the preseason, Hopkins jumped out to its best start in nine years at 27-2.
Featuring a balanced squad ranked in the top-20 in the nation in both ERA and home runs, the Blue Jays climbed as high as second in the D3baseball.com national poll and currently rank sixth at 33-6.
At the forefront of the success has been Lynch, who has backed up his vocal leadership with a strong bid for Centennial Conference Player of the Year. Towering over the plate at 6'5" and 245 pounds, the Sewell, NJ native leads the conference in RBIs (46), slugging percentage (.694) and doubles (23).
Admittedly one of the biggest kids during his adolescent years, Lynch's passion for baseball grew with his size. Originally a pitcher in high school, he soon made his name as a talented hitter and was selected First Team All-Philadelphia Catholic League as a senior at St. Joseph's Prep.
Boasting an impressive academic resume in addition to his athletic prowess, Lynch had discussions with Georgetown, Penn and Brown before eventually settling on Johns Hopkins.
"Hopkins was the only place I was guaranteed I could be a part of the team and be a contributor," Lynch said. "I wanted to go to medical school and there is nowhere to go that's better than here."
Like most freshmen in Babb's program, Lynch saw just five at-bats (albeit posting three hits) as he was forced to wait his turn. Undeterred by struggles early in his sophomore year, he soon solidified a spot at first base and started 13 of the team's final 15 games in 2011 -- raising his batting average from .233 to .333 during the span.
"I kind of pride myself on being very self-confident and I knew I had the potential to do well here but I didn't show it," Lynch said. "Losing my spot on the Arizona trip drove me to work harder and then when I got another shot to play I took advantage of it."
Matching confidence with a humble demeanor, Lynch has been a mainstay as the cleanup hitter in the Hopkins batting order ever since, often coming through in pressure-packed situations. The first baseman has totaled 91 RBIs in 82 games over the last two seasons -- more than any player in the Centennial Conference.
"He has made himself into a much more disciplined and selective hitter," Babb said. "If we need a big hit, he's probably the guy we want at the plate."
Regularly heard bellowing praise from the dugout and on the basepaths, Lynch proudly displays leadership qualities that both nurture his teammates while keeping them on edge.
"He's good about cheering the whole game for his teammates, but he's also not afraid to let somebody know if they're not as focused as they should be," Babb said. "That's the sign of a true leader: one who knows when to pat on the back, but also knows when to ruffle somebody's feathers a little bit."
For now, Lynch is focused on restoring the tradition of the Johns Hopkins baseball program, beginning with the conference tournament this weekend. He believes the Blue Jays have the pitching depth to reclaim the crown and venture deep into the playoffs.
"You have to have five pitchers you know can give you a quality start and we have that," Lynch said. "We can throw any of our five guys and I would be 100% confident that we can win the game."
Set to graduate in May with a degree in biology, Lynch will take part in a one-year Master's program at Drexel University in preparation for medical school. Reflecting on his last four years at Hopkins, he recognizes the opportunities and relationships he has gained.
"I'm studying with some of the most brilliant people in the world who are going to change the face of medicine," Lynch said. "The relationships I've built are going to last forever and it's amazing what some of the guys mean to me at this point."
Lynch and the Blue Jays are scheduled to host Franklin & Marshall at 3:30 pm in the first round of the Centennial Conference playoffs Friday.
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