CHESTERTOWN, MD – Senior Sam Eagleson twirled a two-hitter in a complete game for the Johns Hopkins baseball team as the Blue Jays took down Washington College, 3-1, at Athey Park, Tuesday night.
The Blue Jays improved to 21-9-2 on the year and 11-2 in the Centennial Conference to take a three-game lead over the Shoremen, who move to 23-7 on the season and 8-5 in the conference.
Eagleson was spotless through the first four innings, with only one runner reaching base on an error in the first inning. The Shoremen did not get another man on until Joe Willis hit a soft infield single to second but Eagleson left him stranded at second when he got Matt Christopher to watch the third strike and end the frame. Eagleson had span of 15 batters where he started the at-bat with a first pitch strike from the fourth through the eighth inning and only once did he allow more than one runner on the base paths. In the bottom of the eighth, Dwight Wilcox reached after getting hit by a pitch. Pat Kinsella came out to run for Wilcox and eventually moved to third on a wild pitch followed by a one-out walk to pinch-hitter Ian Remington. Remington got himself caught in a run down between first and second that allowed Kinsella to score the only run for Washington College, but also gave Eagleson two outs and cleared the bases. The right hander ended the frame getting Sean Connole to ground out to junior Adam Weiner at second base.
The Shoremen were set down in order in the bottom of the ninth by Eagleson to close out the game for the Blue Jays for Eagleson's first complete game of the year and ninth of his career. Eagleson walked just two batters and fanned a season-high eight in the nine-inning effort.
Eagleson got all the run support he needed on a pair of home runs from juniors Jeff Lynch and Kyle Neverman. Lynch struck first in the top of the second with a solo shot to right field for his fourth of the season and team-leading 30th RBI of the year.
Neverman tacked on two more for the Blue Jays in the top of the third. Sophomore Richie Carbone drew a lead-off walk before the short stop took a 1-2 pitch over the right field fence for his third round-tripper of the season to push the Hopkins' lead to 3-0.
Senior Aaron Borenstein had the only multiple hit day, going 2-for-3 with a walk. With the win, Eagleson evens his record at 3-3 on the year.
Sean Mattingly took his first of the season on the mound for the Shoremen to fall to 5-1, going seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out just two.
The two teams will square off in Baltimore, MD on Friday to complete the season series at the JHU Baseball Diamond with the first pitch scheduled for 3:30 pm. Before that, however, the Blue Jays will travel to Montclair, NJ to face Montclair State in a non-conference game under the lights tomorrow night starting at 7 pm.