BALTIMORE, MD -- Franklin & Marshall College designated hitter Gary Kruger (So., East Islip, NY/East Islip) hit a pair of home runs, but Johns Hopkins designated hitter Brian Morley went one-for-three with a fifth inning grand slam and five RBI as the #1 nationally ranked Blue Jays won game one of the best of three Centennial Conference Championship baseball series 18-15 over the Diplomats.
The game, which set the record for most runs scored in a Centennial Conference playoff game, featured 33 runs, 38 hits, 27 RBI, eight errors, 24 runners left on base, five doubles, six homeruns, four hit batsmen, 12 walks, 15 strikeouts and three stolen bases over nine innings.
Franklin & Marshall lit up the scoreboard in the top of the first inning as Rob Georgiou (Sr., Tappan, NY/Bergen Catholic) singled and Scott Haft (Jr., Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) walked to put two runners on base. Both runners advanced on a double steal before Kruger launched JHU starting pitcher Jeremy Brown's offering over the fence for a three-run homer.
Hopkins answered in the second inning as Craig Cetta singled and Mike Spiciarich took F&M starting pitcher Gordie Eck (Sr., Columbia, PA/Lancaster Catholic) deep to cut the Diplomats' lead to 3-2 after two innings. JHU took the lead in the third as Paul Winterling walked, stole second base and scored on a doubled by Mike Durgala to tie the game. Morley walked, but an error F&M catcher Dan Weber (Sr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) allowed Durgala to score as the Blue Jays went in front 4-3.
The Diplomats jumped back in front in the fourth as Tony Breslau (Sr., Philadelphia, PA/Chestnut Hill) hit a solo homerun and Chris Smith (So., Fairfax Station, VA/Robinson) took Brown deep for a two-run bomb to go ahead 6-4.
However, Hopkins countered scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 8-6 and drive Eck from the game.
Franklin & Marshall tied the game in the fifth as Haft doubled and came in to score on a two-run homer by Kruger, but Hopkins plated three runs in the bottom of the inning and five in the sixth, four coming on Morley's grand slam, to go out in front 16-8.
F&M began to chip away at the lead as Kruger singled and advanced to third on an error by JHU reliever Jason Thayer. Corey Caruthers (So., Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) walked and Breslau walked to load the bases before Dan Hanecak (So., Conestoga, PA/Lancaster Catholic) hit into a fielder's choice to score Kruger to trail 16-9.
In the eighth, Hopkins finished their scoring by stringing together two runs on two hits, an error, a balk and a wild pitch to take an 18-9 lead.
However, the Diplomats attempted a comeback scoring six runs on eight hits and an error in the top of the ninth inning, but JHU closer Sven Stafford closed out the game as Hopkins moved within one game of the 2004 Centennial Conference title.
On the mound, Eck earned a no-decision allowing eight runs on six hits and three walks, while reliever Dave Stahlman (Sr., Topeka, KS/Washburn Rural) took the loss for allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work.
Reliever EJ Leary (So., Seymour, CT/Seymour) allowed three runs on four hits and a walk with a strikeout in one inning, while Jeff Rowand (Fr., York, PA/Dallastown) did not allow a hit, walk or run in the seventh inning and Casey Dohme (Fr., Westport, CT/Staples) gave up two runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in the eighth inning.
For Hopkins, Brown was torched for eight runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout over 4.1 innings, while Thayer earned the win allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
Franklin & Marshall (24-18, 12-6 Centennial Conference) will continue the season at Hopkins on May 2 at noon for game two of the best of three series. Game three (if necessary) will begin 20 minutes following the conclusion of game two.
