PHILADELPHIA - Josh Lopez led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run, his second of the game, in the opener of a doubleheader versus Chestnut Hill to send the Thomas Jefferson University baseball team (24-19, 15-9 CACC) to the CACC Tournament. The Rams went on to take game two as well.
 
Entering the day, Jefferson needed just one victory to lock up the final spot in the postseason while the Griffins required wins in both contests. The Rams are the third seed in the South Division and will travel to second-seeded Goldey-Beacom for a best-of-three series on May 6-7.
 
GAME ONE – W, 11-10
Chestnut Hill looked like they would force a winner-take-all game two early, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. The Griffins recorded two RBI doubles and an RBI single in the second followed by a two-run double in the third. Arturo Figueroa blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the third to get the Rams back in it at 5-3.
 
In the fourth, Chestnut Hill added another RBI double then produced a pair of sacrifice flies in the fifth to increase their lead to five (8-3). Ryan Sawyer laced an RBI triple to right center in the Rams' half of the fifth to get within four (8-4). The Griffins made it 9-4 on an error in the sixth but Jefferson answered with a three-run home run by Justin Espinal to make the score 9-7.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Lucas DeStefano tripled with one out then Figueroa launched his second long ball of the afternoon to bring the Rams even at nine. Two hitters later, Josh Lopez smashed a solo shot to left center to give Jefferson its first lead at 10-9.
 
The Rams took the advantage into the ninth but Chestnut Hill led off with a single. The runner then stole second and advanced two bases on a pair of errors, scoring to tie the game at 10. Anthony Pillari recovered to strike out the next three batters and give Jefferson a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth. Lopez did just that, crushing a 2-2 offering over the fence in left for a lead-off, walk-off home run, his second of the contest, to clinch the final playoff spot for the Rams.
 
Quick Hits
­- Ryan Sawyer: 1-for-5, 3B, RBI
- Lucas DeStefano: 1-for-3, 3B, 2 R, 2 BB
- Arturo Figueroa: 2-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB
- Josh Lopez: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 HR
- Justin Espinal: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
 
GAME TWO – W, 21-7
Chestnut Hill got off to a strong start once again, getting out to a 5-0 advantage once more. The Griffins tallied two in the first and hit a three-run homer in the second. However, the Rams scored five runs in their half of the second to even the score. Efrain Santiago recorded an RBI single, Alex Gonzalez tripled in a pair, and Ryan Sawyer belted a two-run homer.
 
Jefferson took over for good with six runs in the third. Chris McLean led off with a solo shot, Alex Gonzalez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Sawyer went deep again, this time for a grand slam.
 
The Rams poured it on with three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth, and five in the sixth. Jefferson received homers from Zack Austin, a second from McLean, and a third from Sawyer.
 
Quick Hits
- Ryan Sawyer: 4-for-4, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, BB
- Chris McLean: 3-for-4, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, BB
- Zack Austin: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Efrain Santiago: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Alex Gonzalez: 1-for-3, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R
 
NOTES
- The Rams crushed 11 home runs on the day with a season-high six coming in game two.
- Five of Chestnut Hill's runs in the opener were unearned due to six Jefferson errors.
- The Rams' 21 runs in the second contest were their most this year.
- Ryan Sawyer's seven RBI in the nightcap were the most by a Jefferson player since 2017.
- Sawyer recorded the Rams' second three-homer game of the season after Josh Lopez achieved the feat on March 29.
- Jefferson qualified for the CACC Tournament for the third straight season.
 
UP NEXT
The first two games of Jefferson's best-of-three series at Goldey-Beacom are scheduled for Friday, May 6 beginning at 12 p.m.