BALTIMORE, Md. - The Haverford College baseball team (10-12, 0-2 CC) dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium Sunday, as the No. 6 ranked Blue Jays (20-2, 2-0 CC) defended their home turf with 7-2 and 8-6 wins in the conference opening weekend series for both teams.
Johns Hopkins 7, Haverford 2
In game one, Johns Hopkins struck for only four hits, but took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning against Haverford starter Riley Grohowski. The Blue Jays loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit, with two walks wrapped around a fielding error, and Tripp Myers promptly launched a grand slam to put the hosts ahead 4-0 with the first hit of the ballgame for JHU.
Matthew Cooper led off the third inning with a solo homer, launching one into left field ahead of an error and a double from Shawn Steuerer. Charles Monterrosa then cashed in the run with a sacrifice fly, as the Blue Jays were suddenly ahead 6-0.
The Fords rallied in the fifth inning, plating a run as Zach Becker punched a single into right field and Chuck Norton followed with a single of his own to put two on with one out. Pranav Rane, making the start at third base, then split the infielders with his base knock up the middle, and Haverford was on the board down 6-1.
The Fords added a second run in the next trip to the plate, with Jack Wallis walloping a triple into the right field corner ahead of a single from Kyle Beach. Isaiah Winikur connected on an RBI double in the sixth for an additional Blue Jays run.
Growhowski logged 5.2 innings in a valiant start, with just two earned runs on four hits and a trio of strikeouts. Wyatt Mattison notched the final 2.1 innings on the mound without surrendering a hit and striking out three. Beach and Becker each had two-hit games for the Fords in the conference opener.
Gabriel Romano added seven innings of two-run ball for the hosts, scattering seven hits and striking out eight. Ben Keever tossed the final two innings for JHU, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
Johns Hopkins 8, Haverford 6
In game two, Johns Hopkins again struck for early runs, as the Fords fell behind 4-0 after two full innings. Josh Fuller ran into a spot of trouble as he took the mound for the game two start. Three straight hits to begin the Johns Hopkins bottom of the first plated a run as Dillon Souvigner connected on a double down the right field line and Steuerer launched a sacrifice fly for a second run. Myers again had a big hit in game two, connecting on an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
In the second, Winikur notched a solo homer to put the hosts up 4-0. The two sides were scoreless until the Blue Jays added three runs against Aidan O'Sullivan in the sixth, with Matthew Cooper's RBI double the big hit in that frame. Myers added the eighth run in the seventh inning, capping a big day with an RBI double down the left field line.
Haverford put up six runs in a huge ninth inning rally that fell just short, tagging Jack McRae for six runs on three hits and two walks. Jordan Shand walked as a pinch hitter and Jack Wallis tagged a single through the right side. Pinch hitter Mauro DeCillis struck out and Zach Landry popped out for two quick outs, but Becker singled to bring home Haverford's first run of the contest.
Zach Crampton was hit by a pitch, and Kendrick Curry II then walked with the bases loaded to bring in a run. Daniel Rosman reached on an infield single to bring home the third run of the frame. JHU summoned Hyunwoo Roh from the bullpen, and Harry Genth was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the fourth run. Shand's spot in the order came back up, but Haverford went to the bench for Norton as a pinch hitter. Norton reached on a fielding error, scoring two more runs as Haverford was suddenly back within two with no more margin for error.
Roh was able to calm things down, inducing a groundout from Wallis to end the contest after the Fords put a major scare into the Blue Jays in the final inning. Becker and Genth each had two-hit games for the Fords. Fuller struck out three in his five innings of work.
Two-way player Monterossa took over on the hill for JHU in game two, and was masterful, allowing just five hits in seven innings while striking out six.
The Fords now return to action with another Centennial Conference contest at Ursinus on Tuesday, April 4. The matchup with the Bears is slated for a 3:30 p.m first pitch as the April conference season sprint begins in earnest.