Jacobson’s sacrifice earns historic win for Swarthmore
It’s been 33 years since Swarthmore won its only league title in baseball.
Well, the 1985 squad that captured MAC Southeast title finally has some company.
Sam Jacobson hit a sacrifice fly with no outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to chase home Jared Gillen and give Swarthmore its first Centennial Conference title, and first championship of any kind in more than three decades, with a 4-3 victory over Johns Hopkins Sunday afternoon.
After junior Ricky Conti pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 11th inning, Gillen led off the bottom of the frame with a double and then advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw. The Blue Jays intentionally walked the next two batters to set the stage for Jacobson to win it and he took full advantage of the opportunity.
The victory earned the Garnet (32-9) an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament, its first since 1985 and second in program history. The 32 wins also are a program record, five more than the 1985 squad which held the mark. Conti threw 14 pitches to pick up his record 10th victory of the season.
Swarthmore has to wait until next Sunday to find out who it will play and where. The NCAA Division III selection show will be broadcast online after 12 midnight on May 13.
Swarthmore rallied twice to win the title. Conor Elliott ripped a two-run single down the left field line in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings. Holden Bridge lofted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning to tie the game a second time.
Cole Beeker went 4-for-4 for the Garnet. Gillen was 2-for-5 and starter Ryan Warm went 10 innings before giving way to Conti.
Men’s Lacrosse
An 18th straight league title earned No. 8 Cabrini a chance to open the NCAA Division III tournament at home.
The Cavaliers (16-2) host No. 20 Colorado College in the second round Wednesday at Dixon Field. The time of the game has not been determined.
This is Cabrini’s 17th trip to the NCAA tournament. Colorado College (13-1) is making its sixth appearance in the tournament. The winner of the CabriniColorado College match gets the winner of the Wesleyan (Conn.)-SUNY Cortland game in Saturday’s third round.
Eastern also earned an automatic bid to the tournament with a 17-14 victory over Misericord in the MAC Freedom Conference championship game Saturday. The Eagles (12-6) take on Morrisville State (11-7) in the first round Tuesday at Salisbury. The winner gets the two-time defending national champion Sea Gulls in Wednesday’s second round.