A baseball campaign brimming with promise and national championship aspirations ended on a frustrating and heartbreaking note.

Johns Hopkins, the top seed in the NCAA Division III College World Series, was bounced from the eight-team postseason after absorbing its second consecutive loss in the playoffs — 5-3 to No. 5 seed Kean — on Saturday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake, Ohio.

Paired with Friday’s 16-7 setback to No. 8 seed Messiah, the Blue Jays (44-5) made a swift exit from their seventh College World Series appearance. It marked only the second time they dropped their first two games at this stage of the postseason, joining the 2021 squad that also lost in its first two matchups.On a more emotional level, the anticlimactic ending ushered in the conclusion of a 46-year career for coach Bob Babb. A 1977 graduate of Johns Hopkins who played outfield, shortstop and first and third base and was an assistant football coach for 21 years, Babb leaves with a 1,346-483-16 record that ranks fifth all-time for the most wins among Division III coaches.

Ever modest, Babb, 70, opened his postgame news conference by directing attention to his players.

“It was an outstanding season,” he said. “I’m very proud of our players not only (for) what they did on the field as I told them, but what they did in the classroom this year. Every one of our players this semester was over a 3.0 (grade-point average) in tough majors, and I’m proud of what they’ve done on the field, off the field, community service-wise. They’re a great bunch of players. I’m sorry the game ended the way it did, the way the season ended, especially for them because I know how much hard work they put into it.”

Last June, Babb announced his decision to retire after the 2025 season. The obvious reason was an opportunity to capture an elusive NCAA title.

Another factor was the chance to coach a group of eight seniors and five graduate students whom he had mentored for their entire careers.

“I think this group of seniors will be a tough group to see leave since many of them have been playing since their freshman year and certainly their sophomore year,” he said. “So we’ve spent a lot of time together on the baseball field, in our back gym practicing, at my house making sandwiches or casseroles for the homeless, sharing meals together. I’m going to miss that, there’s no doubt about it. But I know that I will stay in touch with a lot of them.

“I look forward to watching them — as I’ve told them — have successful careers and watch them make a difference in the lives of a lot of people.”

Saturday’s outcome, however, leaves Babb and the players’ objective unrequited. But junior right fielder Alex Shane said the lack of a national championship should not taint Babb’s legacy.

“For Coach obviously, we wanted to win it for him,” he said. “But this also doesn’t take away from his great career and who he is as a person.”

Much like the game against Messiah, the Blue Jays took the early lead when senior third baseman Shane Steuerer’s sacrifice fly scored senior center fielder Jake Siani in the bottom of the third inning.

But in the top of the fifth, a fielder’s choice by senior center fielder Jake Adorno drove in one run, and a single by sophomore first baseman Dan Reistle plated two more to give the Cougars (41-10) a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish.

Siani hit solo home runs in the fifth and seventh innings, but was the only batter to find success against Kean senior pitcher Jason Gilman.

The right hander went the distance, struck out 14 batters including each Johns Hopkins player at least once, and threw 101 strikes among his 152 pitches.

“You can’t go out there and compete against a lineup like that if you don’t have at least something,” said Gilman, who improved to 14-1. “I was lucky enough and grateful enough to be able to command multiple pitches throughout the game whether or not it’s just missing down or being effective another way. I didn’t always have to throw pitches in the zone to be able to get that fastball back in there or get the timely strikeout with another pitch.

“Realistically, it was a head full of steam going in there knowing we were a little up against the wall — one game and we’re gone. But I let my defense play behind me, and I did what I could to keep it close.”

The Cougars moved onto a Sunday date at 4:45 p.m. with the winner of Saturday’s later game between No. 4 seed Endicott (44-4) and Messiah (37-14). Gilman played a significant role in that, Babb said.

“I think he was mixing his pitches well enough and locating a lot of two-strike pitches in a lot of good spots,” he said. “I give the credit to him. I think a couple times early on, we were guessing a little bit. But as the game wore on, he was just making good pitches and good counts.”

“Good” is not enough to describe Babb’s tenure with the Blue Jays. He quipped that other than his wife Gilly and children Andrew, Gillian and Olivia, the university has “been the most important thing in my life.” He said the 46 years of coaching went by quickly, but has no regrets.

“I’ve enjoyed it, and I’ll certainly miss a lot of aspects, no question about it,” he said. “But by the same token, I’m looking forward to doing some different things that I never, ever had the time to do. … I know I’ve been blessed. I’m thankful every day for the life I’ve lived, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Babb will be remembered as one of the sport’s top ambassadors, Cougars coach Neil Ioviero said.

“Can I just say congratulations to Bob?” Ioviero said. “Coach Babb, for all that he’s done for college baseball for 46 years, he’s as good as anyone who has ever done it. We’ve competed at this stage, regionals, regular season. This is our first World Series against him. So I wish him well, his family, his health, and may God bless him.”

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