The Basics
• Score: Johns Hopkins – 12 • Muhlenberg - 7
• Records: JHU (28-12) • Muhlenberg (19-19)
• Location: Baltimore, MD • Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium
• Pitching Decision: W – Alex Ross (4-4) • L – Matt D'Ambrosia (5-3) • S – Josh Hejka (2)
• The Short Story: Chris DeGiacomo went 4-5 with three RBI as the senior outfielder hit for the cycle in the Johns Hopkins baseball team's 12-7 victory over Muhlenberg in the opening round of the Centennial Conference Tournament.
How it Happened
• The Mules got to Ross early as he hit the leadoff batter and then surrendered a one-out single to put runners on first and second. Matt Riebesell singled to score the first run of the game and put runners on the corners with one out. Ross then struck out the next two batters swinging to end the threat.
• DeGiacomo took a 2-1 pitch from D'Ambrosia over the right-center field wall to tie the game at one in the bottom of the inning.
• Ross got into trouble again in the second inning as Brenden Weiss walked and stole second to get into scoring position for Chris Grillo who doubled to score Weiss and make the score 2-1. A groundout advanced Grillo to third with two outs and he scored the third Mules run on a single from John Serruto to put the Mules up by two. Ross then got Riebesell swinging to end the inning.
• In the third, DeGiacomo singled with one out and stole second. A walk to Alex Darwiche put two on for Austin Sacks who took a 2-2 pitch over the right-field wall to put the Blue Jays ahead, 4-3.
• Ross settled down as he retired Muhlenberg in order in the third and after giving up a lead-off single in the fourth and fifth, the lefty retired the next three batters in each inning to keep the Mules off the scoreboard.
• Darwiche hit a two-out single in the fifth and back-to-back walks to Sacks and Mike Smith loaded the bases for Zach Jaffe who put the Blue Jays ahead, 6-3 with a two-RBI single to right. Frank Clara then stepped to the plate and took the first pitch he saw from the new Muhlenberg pitcher, Truman Devitt, over the left-field fence to give Hopkins a 9-3 lead.
• Nick Bodner came in for Ross with two-outs and runners on second and third in the sixth and got a groundout to end the inning.
• Rob Cappadona worked a one-out walk and Serruto singled to second to put two on for Riebesell who doubled to right to score Cappadona and put two Mules in scoring position. Billy Brittingham then took a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right to make the score 9-7. Josh Hejka replaced Bodner and got the final two outs of the inning.
• JHU got three runs in the bottom of the inning as Smith, Jaffe, and Clara all singled to begin the inning. Tim Kutcher hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 10-7 and DeGiacomo completed the cycle with a two-RBI triple to right-center to put Hopkins ahead 12-7.
• Hejka retired the Mules in order in the eighth and ninth innings to seal the 12-7 Blue Jay win and send them into the winner's bracket on Saturday afternoon.
Team Leaders
Johns Hopkins:
Hits: DeGiacomo (4)
RBI: DeGiacomo, Sacks, Darwiche (3)
Strikeouts: Ross (7)
Muhlenberg:
Hits: Four tied (2)
RBI: Brittingham (4)
Strikeouts: D'Ambrosia (6)
What it Means
• The Blue Jays improve to 37-13 all-time in the conference tournament and are 8-4 in first round games. Hopkins is also 30-7 at home in the tournament.
• Johns Hopkins won all three games against the Mules this season and are now 41-18 all-time against Muhlenberg and 6-0 against them in tournament play.
• This marks the third straight season JHU has won the opening game of the tournament.
Inside the Box Score
• DeGiacomo tied a career-high with his four hits and three RBI in the game. He is just the fifth player in Centennial Conference history to hit for the cycle and the first from Hopkins to achieve the feat since the conference was formed.
• Ross went 5.2 innings allowing three runs on seven hits with one walk and seven Ks, which brings his season total to 79, which is four away from tying his career-high in a season (83).
• Hejka notched his second save pitching 2.2 innings of perfect ball with two strikeouts.
• Clara and Darwiche hit their seventh and eighth home runs, respectively. Clara now has 20 RBI on the season while Darwiche has 30.
• JHU is now 10-4 when scoring in the first inning.
• Johns Hopkins outhit the Mules 14-10 and improve to 18-2 when getting more hits than the opponent.
Up Next
• The Blue Jays will take on #1-seeded Swarthmore on Saturday, May 5 at approximately 12:30 in Swarthmore, PA.
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