FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Edgewood College baseball team opened the 2016 season with a 5-2 loss to 24th-ranked Johns Hopkins University on Sunday morning. Eagle pitching limited the Blue Jays to just six hits, but Edgewood College couldn't generate enough offense to come back from an early hole.

Johns Hopkins (3-5-1) plated their first two batters of the game to take an early 2-0 lead, but Edgewood College starting pitcher Nate Averill settled right in after the first inning. Averill allowed just two hits after the first inning, lasting two outs into the sixth inning. Edgewood College (0-1) plated their first run of the season in the fourth inning, after Andrew Laurtizen's leadoff single and Garret Bogucki's RBI groundout.

John Hopkins plated single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 4-1 lead, before the Eagles answered in the bottom of the seventh. Tim Nunn singled to open the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. From there Jeff Tucker laced a single to right field, scoring Nunn from second. Callen Gavic followed with a bunt single to put the pressure on the Blue Jays, but JHU escaped with a pickoff and a caught stealing to end the threat. Johns Hopkins posted another insurance run in the ninth and the Eagles' final six batters went down in order.

Third baseman Nunn made his Eagle debut a promising one going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Tucker was 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Danny Appino and Lauritzen each stole a base for the Eagles.

Averill took the loss as the opening day starter going 5.2 innings pitched and allowing just two earned runs on four hits. Bryce Lashley pitched a perfect eighth inning in his collegiate debut. Mitch Egan, Erick Wendt and AJ Verhage also made appearances on the mound.

Edgewood College will be back in action on Monday morning for a double header against Lasell College. The Eagles and Lasers will battle at Terry Park in Fort Myers, Fla. beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.