{"id":680353,"date":"2026-04-21T13:32:03","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/680353\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:32:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:32:03","slug":"saint-josephs-takes-control-west-chester-responds-and-the-postseason-picture-tightens-across-philly-college-baseball-philadelphia-baseball-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/680353\/","title":{"rendered":"Saint Joseph\u2019s takes control, West Chester responds, and the postseason picture tightens across Philly college baseball ~ Philadelphia Baseball Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"College<\/a>PHILADELPHIA — Saint Joseph\u2019s is no longer just positioning itself in the Atlantic 10 race. <\/p>\n

The Hawks are taking control of it. <\/p>\n

After winning two of three from George Mason over the weekend, Saint Joseph\u2019s improved to 16-2 in conference play, opening up a five-game cushion over second-place VCU. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s not separation \u2014 that\u2019s command. <\/p>\n

And it didn\u2019t happen quietly. <\/p>\n

After dropping the opener of the series, Saint Joseph\u2019s responded with authority, sweeping a doubleheader by scores of 17-9 and 15-6. The offense didn\u2019t just show up \u2014 it overwhelmed. The Hawks scored five runs in the first inning of Game 1, added an eight-run third, and piled on from there. In Game 2, it was more of the same \u2014 early runs, relentless pressure, and a lineup that never allowed George Mason to settle. <\/p>\n

Across the two games, Saint Joseph\u2019s launched three grand slams and turned innings into avalanches. Joey Pagano delivered a grand slam in Game 1 as part of a five-RBI performance, while Blake Primrose added two grand slams on the day \u2014 including one in each game \u2014 continuing a surge that has defined the Hawks\u2019 offensive identity. Timely hitting wasn\u2019t the exception. It was the expectation. <\/p>\n

And it\u2019s been a trend. <\/p>\n

Through 18 conference games, Saint Joseph\u2019s has scored in the first inning 14 times \u2014 a reflection of a club that consistently plays from ahead and forces opponents to react. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s how you build a lead in the standings. <\/p>\n

And it comes with context. The program didn\u2019t capture its first Atlantic 10 regular season title until 2023. Now, just two years later, the Hawks aren\u2019t chasing history. They\u2019re setting the pace for it. <\/p>\n

The formula has been consistent: win series, avoid extended dips, and apply pressure early in weekends. Against George Mason, they did exactly that, continuing a stretch that has turned the A-10 race into something far less crowded than expected. <\/p>\n

Over in the Ivy League, the picture is far less settled. <\/p>\n

Penn dropped two of three to Princeton in a series that carried clear postseason implications. The result pushed the Quakers to 9-6 in conference play, sliding them into third place in a league where only four teams reach the conference tournament. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s no margin for drift. <\/p>\n

Penn still controls part of its path, but it won\u2019t be simple. A remaining series against fifth-place Harvard (6-8) presents an opportunity it likely needs to capitalize on. After that, a showdown with second-place Brown (9-4) could ultimately determine positioning \u2014 or qualification altogether. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s the kind of closing stretch that demands clarity. <\/p>\n

Because in the Ivy League, \u201calmost\u201d doesn\u2019t extend your season. <\/p>\n

Division II: PSAC Race Tightens
If Saint Joseph\u2019s is creating distance, the PSAC race is doing the opposite. <\/p>\n

West Chester made its statement with a weekend sweep, pushing its conference record to 14-6 and drawing even with East Stroudsburg atop the standings. <\/p>\n

And it came with a response. <\/p>\n

After dropping its first series of the season the previous weekend, West Chester answered with a four-game sweep of Shepherd \u2014 its first PSAC East series sweep of the year \u2014 outscoring them 54-10. The finale on Saturday wasn\u2019t competitive. A 25-4 win followed by an 18-3 nightcap, powered by seven home runs, turned the series into a statement. <\/p>\n

There were flashes of everything you want to see from a contender. <\/p>\n

Explosive innings \u2014 including a 12-run frame in one game.
Power throughout the lineup \u2014 multiple home runs in a single day.
And enough pitching stability to keep the games from ever tightening. <\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just a sweep. <\/p>\n

It was control. <\/p>\n

Eight games remain. <\/p>\n

And none of them are soft. <\/p>\n

West Chester closes with series against Millersville and Bloomsburg \u2014 currently sitting third and fourth in the PSAC, respectively. It\u2019s less a finish line and more a proving ground. <\/p>\n

There won\u2019t be any scoreboard watching needed. <\/p>\n

The standings will sort themselves out directly.
CACC: Movement Toward the Cut Line <\/p>\n

In the CACC, the middle of the standings continues to shift \u2014 and Chestnut Hill made sure it stayed in the conversation. <\/p>\n

The Griffins delivered one of their most complete weekends of the season, finishing a sweep of Goldey-Beacom with a 16-12 win that carried both immediate and historical weight. It marked the first time in program history that Chestnut Hill has swept the season series from the Lightning \u2014 a ranked opponent \u2014 and it didn\u2019t come easy. <\/p>\n

Down 7-1 early, the Griffins responded with eight runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a grand slam from Matthew Sharkey that flipped the game. Sharkey finished with five RBIs and four hits, setting the tone for a lineup that kept answering. <\/p>\n

Even after surrendering the lead late \u2014 falling behind 12-10 in the eighth \u2014 Chestnut Hill responded again. Michael Pascoe opened the inning with a home run, igniting a six-run rally that ultimately put the game away. Timely hits, aggressive baserunning, and situational execution turned another deficit into a defining win. <\/p>\n

Joe Kelly closed it out with two steady innings to secure the sweep. <\/p>\n

The result pushed the Griffins to 19-17 overall and 16-11 in conference play \u2014 and more importantly, kept them firmly within striking distance in the postseason race. <\/p>\n

They now sit two games behind Post for the fourth and final tournament spot with six games remaining. <\/p>\n

They\u2019re still alive. <\/p>\n

But there\u2019s no cushion left.<\/p>\n

Recent Philly | Phillies Baseball News | Philadelphia Baseball Review<\/p>\n

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Support the Mission. Fuel the Movement.<\/p>\n

\n You\u2019re not just funding journalism \u2014 you\u2019re backing the future of youth baseball in Philly.\n <\/p>\n


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