Two college baseball teams took the field Tuesday having lost a combined 141 games in a row.
The astounding losing streak finally ended.
For both of them.
Lehman College and Yeshiva University split a doubleheader that ended streaks of futility for both Division III schools.
In the opening game, the Lehman Lightning ended a 42-game losing skid when they beat the Yeshiva Maccabees in extra innings, 7-6.
Yeshiva, a Modern Orthodox Jewish school in New York, then ended a 100-game losing streak by beating Lehman (located in the Bronx) in the second game, 9-5. The Maccabees celebrated on the field at Fairleigh Dickinson in Teaneck, New Jersey, where the team plays home games.
Yeshiva had last won Feb. 27, 2022 in a doubleheader sweep over John Jay. Lehman’s last victory had come May 9, 2023, a 7-4 win against Baruch College.
Justin Chamorro, who pitched a complete game for Lehman in the opener, said ending the losing streak was “crucially important’’ for the Lightning.
“I felt a tremendous relief after, when everything ended,’’ Chamorro told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s what we needed for our morale.’’
Despite falling behind by four runs after two innings, Chamorro said he remained determined.
“I wasn’t going to get out of that game regardless,’’ he said. “Truthfully, I wasn’t going to let my coach take me out. Not one pitch, nope. If I had to go out 12 innings, I would’ve went out all 12 innings, I promise you that.’
In the second game, Yeshiva scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed. Lehman scored two runs in the third to pull within 3-2, but Yeshiva responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning and cruised.
Yeshiva’s Jake Arnow went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
Arnow touted Yeshiva’s resilience in rallying after losing the first game.
“It was a big weight off our chest, I’ll tell you that much,’’ Arnow told USA TODAY Sports. “The losing streak has been going on for, what, two years already? So, amazing feeling. That’s all I can say.”
After the doubleheader was complete, Lehman coach Chris Delgado told USA TODAY Sports he feels empathy for Yeshiva “because we understand what they’re going through. We understand what they’ve been through the past couple of years.’’
This story has been updated with new information.
