The University of Pennsylvania baseball team will conclude its regular season with a three-game series against Brown, beginning Friday, May 1 at Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium. The matchup is expected to determine the Ivy League’s regular-season champion as both teams are tied atop the conference standings.
This series holds significance because it will likely decide which team secures the top spot in the Ivy League and positions itself favorably for postseason play. Both Penn and Brown have identical 12-6 records in conference action.
Penn recently swept Harvard to claim a share of first place, while Brown was the first Ancient Eight member to clinch a postseason berth. Yale also secured its postseason spot by avoiding a sweep against Columbia last weekend. The Quakers’ eight seniors—Reed Farrell, Ryan Taylor, Jarrett Pokrovsky, Thomas Shurtleff, Davis Baker, Andrew Ruggeri, Jake Moss, and John Cerwinski—will be recognized prior to Saturday’s doubleheader for their contributions during their careers.
In previous meetings between these teams dating back to 1885, Penn leads the all-time series with a record of 92-81-5. Last season saw Brown win one game in extra innings before Penn responded with a victory in the finale. Under head coach John Yurkow’s leadership, Penn has not lost at home against Brown since 2019.
Key players for Penn include Gavin Degnan who leads with a .293 batting average and tops several offensive categories. Freshman Jay Secretarski has been consistent throughout his debut season while Jarrett Pokrovsky recently tied the program record for career doubles. On the mound, Thomas Shurtleff leads the league with six wins and ranks highly in earned run average (ERA) and innings pitched; he recorded career-high strikeouts in recent outings.
Brown enters this matchup after securing its first postseason appearance since 2007 following strong performances from hitters Mika Petersen (.362 average) and DJ Dillehay (40 RBI). Pitcher Dylan Reid has anchored their staff alongside Drew Nelson and Peter Dubie—all ranking among conference leaders in ERA.
Senior right-hander Olivia Pichardo made NCAA history last week by becoming the first woman to pitch in a Division I baseball game during Brown’s win over Cornell.
According to the official website, Penn Quakers Men’s Baseball competes at the NCAA Division I level as part of intercollegiate athletics within both NCAA Division I programs and Ivy League membership. Home games are played at Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium.
The games will be streamed live on ESPN+ throughout the weekend.
