BALTIMORE, MD – The No. 4/10 Johns Hopkins baseball team erupted for 18 unanswered runs Saturday afternoon to defeat Hamilton College, 18-6, in game one of a two-game series at Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium. The victory improves the Blue Jays to 5-1 on the season.
After a rocky start, right-hander
Kieren Collins settled in to earn his second win of the year (2-0). Hamilton tagged Collins for four runs over the first two innings as he battled command issues early. However, he struck out the final two batters in both the first and second innings to limit further damage and shift momentum. Collins went on to toss 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out nine — tying his career high. He retired seven of the final eight batters he faced, four by strikeout.
Trailing 4-0 after the top of the second, Hopkins found its spark in the bottom half of the inning. Graduate transfer
William Jaun led off the frame with a solo home run to put the Blue Jays on the board and ignite what would become an 18-run surge.
The Blue Jays seized control in the third. With two outs, three consecutive doubles from
Alex Shane, Jaun and
Lukas Geer evened the score at 4-4.
Clay Hartje followed with an RBI single up the middle to give Hopkins a 5-4 advantage.
Jaun struck again in the fifth, launching his second home run of the afternoon to extend the lead to 7-4.
Hopkins then broke the game open. The Blue Jays plated six runs in the sixth inning.
Aaron Bock drove in a run,
Damian Brown drew a bases-loaded walk and
Jacob Harris capped the inning with a grand slam to right field. In the eighth, Hartje delivered another RBI single before
Shane Keough crushed a three-run homer to left, pushing the lead to 18-4.
Hamilton added two runs in its final at-bats, but the deficit proved too much to overcome as Hopkins secured its fifth win of the season.
Cole Jefferson provided 3.2 innings of relief, striking out four while allowing two runs on three hits.
Dylan Zucker recorded the final out to seal the victory.
The Blue Jays return to action Sunday, March 1, when they host Hamilton to conclude the weekend series at Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
Inside the Box Score – Johns Hopkins
• Collins (2-0) earned the win, tossing 5.0 innings and striking out nine, tying his career high.
• Jaun led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs. Hartje finished a perfect 4-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.
• Hopkins hit multiple home runs for the fourth time this season.
• With the victory, the Blue Jays improved to 38-1 at home dating back to the start of the 2024 season.
Gallery: (2-28-2026) Baseball vs. Hamilton (Game 1)
