BALTIMORE, MD – The No. 6/8 Johns Hopkins baseball team erased an early deficit with an explosive 11-run fifth inning, soaring past McDaniel, 18-3, on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Blue Jays (32-9) clinch a spot in the Centennial Conference Championship game on Sunday, looking to win their fourth consecutive conference title.
After a quiet opening frame, McDaniel struck first in the second when
Jack Morin doubled home a run to give the Green Terror a 1-0 lead. The advantage was short-lived, however, as
Shane Keough responded in the bottom half with a towering two-run blast to right field, putting Hopkins in front 2-1.
The Blue Jays began to pull away in the third, using an RBI double from
Lukas Geer, a run-scoring single by
Hamilton Adams and a
Clay Hartje sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 5-1.
McDaniel attempted a comeback in the fourth when Morin struck again, launching a two-run home run to trim the Hopkins lead to 5-3. But that was as close as the visitors would get.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Jay offense reached a fever pitch. After loading the bases, Hartje broke the game open with a massive grand slam onto University Parkway. The hit parade continued as
Damian Brown laced an RBI double and
Jacob Harris added a sacrifice fly.
William Jaun then pushed the lead to double digits with a two-run single up the middle.
Refusing to slow down, Hartje returned to the plate later in the same inning and cleared the fence for the second time—a three-run shot to right—capping an 11-run explosion that left the Blue Jays holding a commanding 16-3 lead. Hopkins added two more insurance runs in the sixth to cruise to the 18-3 final.
Michael Yousef (7-1) delivered another stellar performance to earn the win. Yousef tossed 7.0 strong innings, scattering eight hits and surrendering just three runs while striking out six.
Hopkins returns to Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium on Sunday, May 3, for the Centennial Conference Championship game. The Blue Jays will face the winner of the McDaniel-Ursinus elimination game, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:00 PM.
Inside the Box Score – Johns Hopkins
•
Michael Yousef (7–1) earned the win, tossing 7.0 strong innings. He allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out six.
• Four Blue Jays recorded a multi-hit game, led by
Clay Hartje, who went 3-for-4 with eight RBIs, a grand slam and a three-run home run.
Shane Keough added a two-run blast.
•
William Jaun has recorded a hit in 22 of the last 24 games and has recorded at least three hits in six of those contests.
•
Luke Baker has reached base safely in 34 of the last 35 games and recorded a hit in 22 of the last 28 games.
• The Blue Jays have scored three or more runs in 70 different innings through 41 games.
• Hopkins has hit multiple home runs in 25 of its 41 games this season and at least one in 33.
