PHILADELPHIA — The first day of the CACC best-of-three series delivered exactly what a postseason is supposed to bring: momentum swings, late drama, and no shortage of offense.
By the time it was over Friday evening, Chestnut Hill and Jefferson had traded blows — and victories — setting up a decisive Game 3 on Saturday.
Chestnut Hill struck first, riding an early power surge and just enough pitching to hold off a late push in a 10-8 win in Game 1. Jefferson answered emphatically in Game 2, overwhelming the Griffins 13-3 to even the series.
Now, everything funnels into one game.
Game 1 belonged to Chestnut Hill’s ability to build — and protect — a lead.
Wyatt Spinks set the tone immediately with a two-run homer in the first, and the Griffins kept adding pressure throughout the afternoon. Kenyon Motley delivered the biggest swing of the game in the sixth, a three-run double that stretched the lead and created separation.
Michael Pascoe handled the rest — at least for a while.
The right-hander worked seven strong innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) while scattering six hits to earn the win. But what looked comfortable turned tense late.
Jefferson erupted for six runs over the final two innings, highlighted by Andrew Holub’s three-run homer in the eighth and Ryan Mallen’s blast in the ninth. The Rams brought the tying run to the plate before Brady Gusttitus closed the door.
Chestnut Hill survived — barely.
Jefferson made sure there would be no such suspense in Game 2.
From the outset, the Rams flipped the tone of the series. They scored three times in the first inning, added another in the second, and never allowed Chestnut Hill to settle in.
Luis Beato Mora homered. Julio Frometa Gomez homered and drove in three. Holub continued his strong day with two hits and two RBIs. By the sixth inning, the game had broken open.
A five-run sixth — fueled by timely hits, aggressive baserunning, and defensive miscues — turned a manageable deficit into a rout.
On the mound, Patrick Karbach gave Jefferson exactly what it needed: stability. The right-hander went seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) while limiting Chestnut Hill to just three hits and keeping the game under control from the middle innings on.
The contrast between the two games was stark.
In the opener, Chestnut Hill capitalized on mistakes and built innings. In the nightcap, Jefferson did the same — only more efficiently, and with far more consistency.
And now, the margin for error is gone.
Chestnut Hill (23-21) and Jefferson (23-20) head into Saturday with the series tied, the adjustments made, and the stakes fully understood.
One game. One winner.
That’s how this was always going to be decided.
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