BALTIMORE, MD – The No. 3/3 Johns Hopkins baseball team outlasted No. 15/27 Gettysburg in a high-scoring, home run-filled battle, defeating the Bullets 15-13 Friday afternoon at Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium. With the win, the Blue Jays improve to 21-4 overall and 4-0 in conference play.
Riding momentum from Tuesday's record-setting win over Gettysburg, Hopkins wasted no time getting on the board. After starter
Kieren Collins faced just four batters in the opening frame,
William Jaun delivered early fireworks, launching a two-run home run to University Parkway to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.
The game quickly turned into a slugfest. Gettysburg responded with four runs in the second and two more in the third to take a 6-2 advantage. Michael Fischetti highlighted the rally with a three-run homer to put the Bullets ahead 3-2, and Will Bercaw followed two batters later with a solo shot. In the third, Will Stellato added a two-run home run to extend the lead.
Hopkins answered in emphatic fashion, erupting for nine runs in the bottom of the third. After the first three batters reached base, Jaun struck again—this time with a grand slam to tie the game at 6-6.
Shane Keough followed with an RBI single to give Hopkins the lead, and additional run-scoring plays from
Clay Hartje (bases-loaded walk) and
Luke Baker (sacrifice fly) pushed the advantage to 9-6. Jaun capped the inning in his second plate appearance by driving in two more runs with a single, extending the lead to 11-6.
Gettysburg continued to battle back, plating runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Fischetti's second home run of the game and a bases-loaded walk trimmed the Hopkins lead to 11-8.
Looking to create separation,
Jacob Harris delivered in the fifth inning. In his first game back in over two weeks, the center fielder crushed a grand slam to extend the Blue Jays' lead to 15-8.
The Bullets refused to go away, scoring four runs in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk, a sacrifice fly, and consecutive RBI singles to cut the deficit to 15-12.
Dylan Zucker entered in the eighth and was immediately tested. With runners on base and tension building, Gettysburg loaded the bases and brought go-ahead run to the plate. A fielder's choice allowed one run to score, making it 15-13, but a pair of clutch defensive plays preserved the lead.
On a deep fly ball, Harris fired a strike home to hold the runner at third. Moments later, alert defense caught the runner off guard—Hartje threw to third, where
Hamilton Adams applied the tag to end the inning and maintain the two-run cushion.
Zucker closed the door in the ninth, retiring the side in order to secure his fifth save of the season and seal Hopkins' 21st win.
Hopkins returns to action Saturday, April 4, traveling to Allentown, PA for a doubleheader against Muhlenberg. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Bicentennial Park.
Inside the Box Score – Johns Hopkins
•
Gavin Simurdiak (3-0) earned the win, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings while allowing two hits and two walks and striking out four.
Dylan Zucker recorded his fifth save, giving up one run on two hits and a walk over 2.0 innings with one strikeout.
• Four Blue Jays recorded multi-hit games, led by
William Jaun, who went 4-for-5 with eight RBIs, three runs scored, a grand slam, a two-run home run, and a two-run single.
Jacob Harris also added a grand slam.
• Jaun extended his hitting streak to eight games and has recorded at least three hits in four of those contests.
•
Luke Baker has reached base safely in 20 consecutive games.
• The Blue Jays have scored three or more runs in 44 different innings through 25 games.
• Hopkins has hit multiple home runs in 14 of its 25 games this season and at least one in 20.
