NEW HAVEN, Conn. (May 16, 2025) – Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference at-large representative and tournament host Thomas Jefferson University won its opening game in the 2025 NCAA Division II Baseball East Regional 1 Championship on Thursday afternoon at Weiland Park in Center Valley, Pa. Jefferson topped fellow CACC at-large representative Goldey-Beacom College, which suffered its second loss of the day and was eliminated from the event.
Play on Thursday in the East Regional 2 championship in New Castle, Del., was postponed due to rain. Among the four teams in that field are CACC champion and tournament host Wilmington University and CACC at-large selection Felician University.
Jefferson is hosting the Regional 1 tournament at DeSales University. No. 5 seed Franklin Pierce University, an at-large representative of the Northeast 10 Conference, began the action with a 4-1 win over No. 4 seed Goldey-Beacom. Top-seeded Jefferson then upended the Lightning, 17-4.
The Regional 1 championship, which started with three teams, now comes down to a best-of-three series between Jefferson and FPU. The first game will take place today at 11 a.m. in Center Valley.
Goldey-Beacom left 10 runners on base during Thursday’s opener. The Lightning cut a 2-0 deficit in half in the fifth inning, but the Ravens (32-19) plated single runs in the seventh and ninth frames. GBC loaded the bases after two were out in the ninth but could not score. Anthony Charles was 2 for 5 with a triple for the Lightning.
Goldey-Beacom recovered from an early 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3, fifth-inning lead over Jefferson, only to see the Rams (39-15) take control with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jefferson drew 12 walks and scored 10 unearned runs in the contest. Luis Beato Mora and Jay Salsbery hit home runs for the hosts, while Beato Mora and Gabe Silva drove in four runs each. Charles was 3 for 3 and Jaden Dickerson homered for the Lightning, who finish 34-21.
The two winners of the Regional Tournaments will play in the East Super Regional Championship, a best-of-three series the following weekend to be hosted by the highest remaining seed.
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its affiliation with NCAA Division II. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – eight for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 12 members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.