BALTIMORE – The Haverford College baseball team dropped a doubleheader to No. 10 Johns Hopkins on Saturday afternoon, falling by final scores of 11-7 and 5-4 at the Stromberg Stadium on the Johns Hopkins campus. The Fords sit at 13-11-1 (4-4-1 CC) while Johns Hopkins improves to 23-6 (8-1 CC) after defending home field with a doubleheader sweep.
Game One: Johns Hopkins 11, Haverford 7
In game number one, Haverford sent Tom Phillips to the mound to match up with Nick Burns of Johns Hopkins. The host Blue Jays struck for four runs in the bottom of the first inning as Conor Reynolds led off with a home run and the next two hitters walked. After one out, Mike Eberle singled into center field and Daniel Albert posted a sacrifice fly. Jon Hayden then punched a single into center field for a 4-0 lead.
The Fords battled back to take a 5-4 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second and three more in the top of the third. Harrison Burns delivered an RBI single to right field andThomas Vollaro also recorded an RBI hit in the frame. In the third, Sam Partee delivered a two-run homer and with two out and Burns singled in a run for the first lead of the contest for the Fords.
Against new Haverford pitcher Nathan Vucovich (1-3), Hayden sent a solo shot to center field to tie the game at 4-4. After Nick Burns kept the Fords off the base paths in the top of the inning, Mike Smith jolted a two-run homer for a 7-5 lead in favor of the Blue Jays.
The Fords made it a one-run game with a double steal and a throwing error that allowedMatt Goss to score in the fifth, but the Blue Jays erupted for a three-run frame in the bottom of the sixth to go up 10-6.
A sacrifice fly off the bat of Ben Furlong kept the Fords within striking distance at 10-7, but Reynolds homered again for an 11-7 lead in the seventh.
Josh Hejka picked up a save with three innings of one-hit relief, striking out three.
Goss, Burns and Partee each had two-hit games for Haverford.
Game Two: Johns Hopkins 5, Haverford 4
In game two, the Fords sent first-year pitcher Brandon Jenkins to the hill for the start against Alex Ross of Johns Hopkins. Jenkins was backed by Fords runs in the second and fourth innings.
The first run was scored on a squeeze bunt by Will Karp, as the sacrifice brought in Harrison Burns, who had singled earlier in the inning, for a 1-0 Haverford lead.
Sohmer led off the fourth with a homer to left center field, but the Blue Jays made things a bit tighter with a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame as the Fords led 2-1.
Undaunted, Jenkins held the hosts off guard, locking horns with Ross in a duel through six full innings. The Fords were able to get to Ross further in the top of the seventh, with Ben Furlong homering to lead off the inning and Ethan Lee-Tyson delivering an RBI double for a 4-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, Johns Hopkins would rally back for three runs after Jenkins got two quick outs. With two down, two straight singles and two walks plated a run before Smith singled to center field to tie the contest at 4-4 against newly summoned Haverford reliever Patrick O'Shea.
The Blue Jays called for Harrison Folk from the bullpen, and Folk set down the Fords with relative ease in the top of the eighth. O'Shea worked out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning after two quick outs, inducing a liner to third base to end the frame.
The Fords had an outstanding scoring chance in the top of the ninth inning against Folk. With one out, Will Karp reached on a bunt single. After two were down, Ben Verducci reached on a bunt single of his own and Ethan Lee-Tyson was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Matt Goss with the bases loaded. Johns Hopkins went to the bullpen for new pitcher John Donohue, and Donohue was able to induce a pop up from Goss to end the threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, O'Shea gave up a single to Brian Lin and Smith was hit by a pitch. Haverford called to the bullpen for Dylan Livingston, and Ryan Orgielewicz singled through the left side of the infield against Livingston, scoring Lin to end the contest at 5-4 in favor of the Blue Jays.
Sohmer had two hits, including the home run, to pace Haverford in game two. Jenkins was a standout for the Fords, pitching 6.2 innings while striking out four and scattering six hits.
Haverford will next host Muhlenberg on Tuesday at Kannerstein Field. The midweek matinee is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. and will precede the Fords traveling to Allentown, Pa. for a Friday rematch to wrap up the series. Next Saturday, April 22, the Fords will host Dickinson in a doubleheader beginning at 12:30 p.m.