A mid-game rain delay interrupted a 6-1 lead by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges at No. 8 Johns Hopkins University, immediately after which the Blue Jays surged ahead and went on to win, 11-7, ending the Stags' season just short of the 2026 NCAA Division III College World Series.
CMS came out looking to make a statement after last night's epic doubleheader that the Stags capped with a walk-off victory in the 10th inning.
Max Pemberton walked on four pitches with the bases loaded to plate a run in the top of the first inning before
Alex Henderson and
Rider Gordon smacked home runs on back-to-back pitches for a 4-0 lead.
Kody Perry went three hitless innings for the Stags, striking out four.
Josh Jacobs singled home Pemberton, who had reached on a hit-by-pitch, with two outs in the third and
Blaise Heher brought
Dillon Martin home in the top of the fifth as the rain began to come down. Two pitches appeared to slip out of the hand of
Parker McGraw one out into the bottom of the fifth inning as a hit-by-pitch was followed by a sharp single and another hit-by-pitch to load the bases when time was called and the umpires met only briefly before sending teams to the dugouts.
Upon returning to the field,
Bryant Smaaladen got a strikeout but then lost an 11-pitch battle to allow a run to walk in and the floodgates opened as JHU put up a total of seven runs. Henderson hit a solo shot to lead off the eighth inning and reached the on-deck circle as the potential tying run in the ninth but a checked swing for a third consecutive strikeout by ace
Kieren Collins ended the game before the slugger could step back to the plate.
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