The 25th‑ranked University of Chicago baseball team secured a 15‑8 victory over Scranton on Tuesday, advancing to the Regional Final and extending its program‑record winning streak to 18 games.
Scranton struck first, plating two runs in the top of the second inning with a pair of extra‑base hits, but the Maroons answered immediately in the bottom of the frame when Jack Sharp launched a solo homer that put them ahead 3‑2.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the fourth inning. Harrison Belden added a solo homer, his eighth of the season, while Nathan Bae delivered a bases‑clearing double that stretched the lead to 9‑6. The burst of offense was capped by a sacrifice fly from Max Wiesner that brought in an insurance run in the fifth.
Relief pitching proved equally decisive. Grant Tenuta earned the win with 2.1 innings of hitless, walkless work, while Lucien Reed and David Flanagan combined for shutout frames, and Charlie Hahn contributed a key outing that kept Scranton’s bats quiet.
The Maroons also saw contributions from Braden Jirovec, Erik Rindner, Ryan Bhojwani and Michael Gladden, each delivering a hit and a run, while Jack Sharp finished 3‑5 at the plate with two runs and four RBIs, and Bae and Wiesner added three and four RBIs respectively.
Looking Ahead
The Maroons now turn their attention to a showdown with #11 Bridgewater College. A win in that contest would clinch the program’s first Regional championship, a milestone that has been pursued relentlessly throughout the season.