No. 21 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges fell in an extra-inning instant classic at No. 8 Johns Hopkins University, 7-5, but outslugged Pfeiffer University, 19-8, to earn another shot at the Blue Jays in tomorrow’s regional final of the 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship.
The first matchup of the day pitted two of the top three teams in the nation by total home run count in the host Blue Jays and Sagehens. JHU got on the scoreboard first with two walks to set up a three-run homer in the bottom of the third inning, though Pomona-Pitzer got one back in the top of the sixth despite a double play cutting opportunity short with runners on the corners and none out. A three-run shot by
Cooper Berry in the top of the eighth inning flipped the script to the Sagehens’ advantage, 4-3, but with JHU down to its final out a solo shot sent the game to extras.
Kai Gonzaga continued a late-season surge with a leadoff round-tripper, but another two longballs by the Blue Jays in the bottom of the frame ended the game.
Suddenly facing Pfeiffer University in an elimination game just 45 minutes later, the Sagehens were caught out for five runs in the top of the first inning but gathered their composure quickly and clawed back four in the bottom stanza, with
Landon Hu punctuating the inning on a three-run homer.
Both pitching staffs settled in for the next few innings with just a
Will Parker longball equalizing for Pomona-Pitzer in the fourth inning before the Sagehens broke the game open with an eight-run fifth including a grand slam from Gonzaga. The outcome was never in doubt from that point on with
Devin Saltzgaber picking up the win in lengthy relief work lasting 6.2 innings.
Greg Pierantoni batted 4-for-5 with four runs scored and three RBI while Hu racked up five RBI and scored four times on a 2-for-4 line with a double and hit-by-pitch.
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