WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Senior Sean Perkins (Berlin, N.J. / Eastern Regional) launched his team-leading third home run of the season to help the Lycoming College baseball team to a late lead, but 2025 NCAA Division III Championship team Elizabethtown College scored four runs in the ninth to steal both teams' Landmark Conference opener, 7-6, on Saturday afternoon, March 14, at Brandon Park.
Elizabethtown (7-2, 1-0) scored four runs on five hits in the ninth inning to deny Lycoming (7-7, 0-1) an opportunity to win their conference opener for the second season in a row.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first from junior right-hander Alex Halbert (Laurel, Md. / Atholton), a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt set the table for Perkins, who tagged a 2-1 fastball 388 feet over the center field fence for a two-run homer that gave the Warriors a 2-0 lead.
After back-to-back singles in the third, a ground ball up the middle followed that second baseman Kaden Shay (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area) stopped on a dive and flipped to second for an out. A run scored on the play, but Shay's stop helped stem the tide for the Warriors, who maintained a 2-1 edge.
In the fourth, Lycoming restored the two-run advantage. Senior Brody Lindsay (Monrovia, Md. / DeMatha Catholic) banged a double off the fence in left-center to begin the frame, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, then came around to score on a groundout from senior Nick Hoheb (Brick, N.J. / Brick Township).
Halbert brushed aside a one-out infield hit in the fourth, then spun a 1-2-3 fifth. In the sixth, though, David Woolley led off with a triple down the right-field line, then came home on a groundout from Mason Woolwine to bring the Blue Jays back within a run.
The right-hander returned for the seventh and surrendered a leadoff single, then induced two groundouts that had him on the verge of completing the inning, but Alex Perrin sliced a two-out RBI double into the left-field corner that tied the game at three apiece. Halbert departed for senior southpaw Matt Guido (Holbrook, N.Y. / Sachem East), who recorded the final out of the inning to keep the game knotted up.
In the bottom of the frame, Lycoming took advantage of a miscue to pull back in front. A walk and hit batter put two on for Perkins, who lifted a high pop-up to the right side, but on a windy day, the ball dropped to score Shay and put Lycoming ahead, 4-3.
Senior Joel Inman (Berlin, N.J. / Eastern Regional) came out of the bullpen to start the eighth and held down the fort, tossing a 1-2-3 frame with a strikeout. In the bottom of the inning, the Warriors upped the lead, as junior Eric MacCluen (Downington, Pa. / Bishop McClanahan) led off with a double to right-center and moved to third on a single from senior Josh Bottger (Wilkes-Barre, Pa/ Wikes-Barre Area). Hoheb followed with a single to the hole at shortstop to score MacCluen. After a sacrifice bunt, Shay lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Bottger for a 6-3 lead.
In the ninth, though, Alex McClain and Nick Fiorini homered to put Elizabethtown in front 7-6. The Warriors then went down in order in the bottom of the ninth to end the contest.
Halbert worked a season-high 6.2 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking one out and not walking a batter, needing just 75 pitches to work into the seventh. Perkins and Hoheb each drove in two runs and recorded a hit, while Shay added an RBI and a run scored.
Jake Ruple led the Blue Jays, going 3-for-4 with two runs and Fiorini finished 2-for-4 with a three-run homer. Maximus Polun earned the win with 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and Paul Kvech earned the save.
The Warriors will finish the series with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 15 at Brandon Park against Elizabethtown. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
