WESTMINSTER, MD – The No. 3/3 Johns Hopkins baseball team secured a thrilling 5-4 victory over McDaniel Friday afternoon at Preston Field. The Blue Jays capitalized on four walks in the top of the ninth to push across the go-ahead run, improving to 25-4 overall and 8-0 in conference play.
Starting pitcher
Kieren Collins made history in his 59
th career start, tying the Division III record. He retired the first three batters he faced, setting the stage for the Hopkins offense.
McDaniel's Preston Yost struggled with command early, walking the first two batters in the second inning.
Hamilton Adams then drove in the game's first run with a sacrifice fly, putting Hopkins up 1-0.
The Blue Jays added another run in the fourth when
Damian Brown singled to center, driving in
Jacob Harris, who had tripled, extending the lead to 2-0.
Collins was dominant early, retiring 10 of the first 13 batters he faced. However, McDaniel responded in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run from Anthony Cerone, cutting the Hopkins lead to 2-1.
Lukas Geer answered quickly with a two-run homer in the fifth, extending the Blue Jays' lead to 4-1.
Collins continued to roll after the solo shot, retiring nine of the next 13 batters and working into the seventh inning. He finished with seven strikeouts in a season-high 6.2 innings of work.
McDaniel's offense came to life in the eighth. Back-to-back hits brought the Green Terror within one run at 4-3. With two on and two outs, Hopkins turned to
Dylan Zucker for the six-out save. Zucker got the first batter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play, but then walked the bases loaded. A subsequent infield single tied the game at 4-4.
Clay Hartje, however, put an end to the Green Terror, picking off a runner at first to end the inning and prevent further damage.
In the top of the ninth,
Alex Shane, Geer and Brown all walked to load the bases. Pinch hitter
Shane Keough then drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run, giving Hopkins a 5-4 lead.
Zucker returned for the final three outs, sealing his first win of the season and securing Hopkins' 25
th victory. With the win, the Blue Jays remain perfect at 8-0 in conference play.
Hopkins returns to action Saturday, April 11, when they host Haverford at Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
