No. 1 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the first, but never led again until a six-run top of the ninth inning that secured them a 13-9 win over No. 5 Alvernia in game seven on Friday at PeoplesBank Park.
 
In the top of the ninth, Johns Hopkins (38-6) trailed 9-7.
 
The Blue Jays tied the game with two runs on three hits. Still with no outs and two runners on base, Johns Hopkins loaded the bases. Alvernia got the next runner out, but then the Blue Jays' Mike Smith drove in the tie-breaking run with a single up the middle.
 
Johns Hopkins took the lead, 10-9, for the first time since leading 3-0 after the top half of the first inning. The Blue Jays then scored three more runs to take a 13-9 lead, which they held on for the victory.
 
Johns Hopkins struck first with an RBI-double down the left-field line by Mike Smith for the early 1-0 lead in the first inning.
 
Then the Blue Jays' Ryan Orgielewicz hit a two-run home run over the centerfield wall for a 3-0 lead.
 
Alvernia's Colin Rieger led off the bottom of the first with a double to left-centerfield. Two batters later, Nathan Sides drove in Rieger from third base with an RBI-single through the right side to cut the deficit to 3-1. Another Crusader run came across on a wild pitch with two outs, followed by an RBI-single to third base by Franco Esposito to tie the game at 3-3.
 
The Crusaders (29-14-2) continued in the second inning with three more runs on two hits for a 6-3 lead. Hopkins changed pitchers 1-and-1/3 innings into the game after four run came across.
 
Alvernia added two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 8-3.
 
The Blue Jays' Orgielewicz hit his second home run of the game with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. The solo home run went over the right-field fence to cut the deficit to 8-4.
 
Johns Hopkins plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but left bases load, to cut the deficit to 8-6.
 
The Crusaders use the squeeze play to bunt another run home from third with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Lead extended to 9-6.
 
Blue Jays respond in the eighth with a run to shrink the deficit to 9-7.
 
Johns Hopkins will continue in the winner's bracket and play the winner of the No. 2 Shenandoah and No. 3 Wheaton (Mass.) game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
 
Alvernia will fall to the loser's bracket and face No. 6 Elizabethtown on Saturday at 10 a.m.