BALTIMORE, MD- The #25 Johns Hopkins baseball team looked to build off their 2-0 start from a weekend ago with a double header against the Johnson & Wales Wildcats, who were coming into their first game off the back of an NCAA Regional appearance last season.
 
GAME ONE

• Score: Johns Hopkins – 5, Johnson & Wales – 4
• Records: JHU (3-0), Johnson & Wales (0-1)
• Pitching Decision: W: Matt Savedoff (1-0), L: Kyle Cutler (0-1)
• Summary: The Blue Jays used some clutch hitting late in the game after trailing the entire way to snag a 5-4 victory over J&W. Matthew Cooper launched a walk-off solo shot to left field in the 11^th inning to lift the Jays past the Wildcats.

How it Happened

• After pitching a scoreless first inning, senior Kieren Collins found himself in a jam in the top of the second inning with two on and nobody out. Owen Davis would clear the bases with one swing with a three-run shot to right center field to put the Wildcats on top 3-0.
• The Blue Jays were held hitless in the first two innings of the ballgame until Dylan Whitney stepped up to the dish to lead things off in the bottom of the third. Whitney lifted one out over the right field wall for his first homerun off the season to get JHU on the board.
• J&W would push the lead back out to three as the DH Griffin Snyder came up with a two out knock to right center field to push across another run for the Wildcats and extend their lead to 4-1.
• Both offenses would go quiet for the next few innings. Johns Hopkins would put a dent in the deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning as Tripp Myers laced a two RBI double out to left field to plate Jimmy Stevens and Sam Frank to pull the Jays within one.
• JHU had a great opportunity to tie things in the bottom of the eighth as they had runners on first and second with just one out in the inning. The Wildcats brought in Ben Fosberg to try and maneuver out of the jam. Fosberg set down the next two JHU batters two strand the runners and hold onto the lead.
• The Blue Jays needed someone to step up with a clutch knock in the bottom of the ninth with two away. Freshman Alex Shane was the man for the job for JHU as he lashed a base hit into right field to plate Shawn Steuerer and tie things up at four.
• Matt Savedoff stepped up on the bump in extra innings, tossing two scoreless while punching out four to put Johns Hopkins in position to win it in the bottom of the 11^th.
• Matthew Cooper stepped up to the dish with one away in the inning just trying to get something started for the Jays. Instead, he decided to finish the game on his own. On an 0-1 pitch, Cooper blasted a ball out to left center field and rounded the bases with a walk-off solo shot to give the Blue Jays a 5-4 victory.

GAME TWO

• Score: Johns Hopkins – 7, Johnson & Wales – 5
• Records: JHU (4-0), Johnson & Wales (0-2)
• Pitching Decision: W: Alex Shane (1-0) L: Max Randazzo (0-1) S: Jack McRae (1)
• Summary: In a back and forth battle the Blue Jays used timely hitting to grab the lead in the bottom of the bottom of the sixth inning and used a strong effort from the bullpen in the final innings to come away with a 7-5 win and a 2-0 sweep over the Wildcats

How it Happened

• Much like the first game, J&W got out to a quick start and scored two runs in the top of the first with RBI coming from Thorin Sanchez-Guerra and Riley Hasson.
• The Blue Jays would grab a run back in the bottom of the second as senior center fielder Isaiah Winikur hit a rope over the left field wall to make it 2-1.
• After the Wildcats added an unearned run in the top of the fourth to take a two-run lead, freshman Damian Brown would come up to the dish with two in scoring position with a chance to knot things up. Brown turned on one down the left field line to bring in Winikur and Caleb Cyr for his first two RBI in his JHU career and bring the game back even, 3-3. The Blue Jays would take their first lead in the contest in the next frame when Dillon Souvignier picked up an RBI on an infield base knock.
• The tied shifted back over to J&W the next half inning. After a runner reached third base to start the inning, the Wildcats launched their first homer of the season as Trevor Juan snuck one over the right field wall to put J&W back on top, 5-4.
• The deficit would not last long for JHU as the Jays snatched the momentum away from the Wildcats in the bottom of the sixth. Shawn Steuerer came to the dish with Jake Siani on first and one out. Steuerer cranked one out to right center field that carried over the wall for his second home run of the season to put Johns Hopkins back in the driver's seat up 6-5.
• Junior catcher Caleb Cyr would add an important insurance run with an RBI knock to left field in the bottom of the seven to add a little cushion onto the Blue Jays lead.
• Alex Shane was able to steady the ship for the Blue Jays pitching staff, tossing two scoreless innings while only allowing one base runner to put himself in-line to earn the win.
• The ball was given to senior relief pitcher Jack McRae to shut things down in the ninth inning. McRae had the tying run on first base with one out. McRae went on to punch out the last two Wildcat hitters to earn himself the save a close out a 7-5 win for the Jays.

Of Note

• The two wins give the Blue Jays a 4-0 start on the season, which is their first 4-0 start to a regular season since 2014.

Up Next

• Johns Hopkins have a quick turnaround as they head down to Salisbury tomorrow to take on the defending Division III national champions and current number one team in the country in the Sea Gulls (1 pm).