FORT MYERS, Fla. – Haverford College's baseball team equaled the best start to a season in program history by downing Rockford (Ill.) College, 6-2, Saturday morning at the Lee County Player Development Complex. The Fords' 10-game win streak to kick off the 2013 season ties the mark set by the 2011 squad.
Saturday's victory over the Regents (1-7) was a game in which the Fords (10-0) took advantage of miscues, scoring four unearned runs off of three Rockford errors.
Two of Rockford's errors came in the bottom of the first inning when Haverford scored three times on just one hit, a two-out single to left-center field by designated hitter Sam Kane.
Matt Liscovitz struck out swinging for the third out of the frame but the pitch was wild from Rockford starter Michael Kiviranta allowing the Fords to keep the inning alive as Liscovitz beat the throw to first base. Another wild pitch by Kiviranta moved Liscovitz to second which helped the Haverford right fielder reach home easily on a throwing error by Regents third baseman Cole Logemann -- which would have been the second, third out of the inning -- on Casey Fox's grounder to third.
Alex Hudak stepped into the box next, with Fox now at second, and hit a grounder back to Kiviranta but the pitcher's throw to first base was wild allowing Fox to score the second run of the inning while Hudak coasted into second base. Kane's single down the line earned the first RBI of the game, on the Fords' third run.
Those three runs would prove to be all starting pitcher John Miraglia would need, as the Haverford freshman earned his first collegiate win pitching eight strong innings and surrendering just two runs on six hits and two walks while fanning five. Both of Rockford's runs came in the top of the sixth, an inning during which Miraglia gave up three of the six hits he surrendered during his strong outing.
Miraglia set down the Regents in order in the seventh and eighth but gave way to George Hatamiya at the start of the ninth. Hatamiya allowed one hit but retired the side to close out the victory for Haverford. Kiviranta (0-2) took the hard-luck loss after throwing seven innings and allowing five runs, four were unearned, on eight hits while striking out two.
Fox finished the day reaching base four times -- two by errors in the field and twice more on singles -- and scored three of the Fords' six runs. Hudak registered the only other multi-hit game by a Ford collecting two along with one RBI.
Haverford will return home from Florida then open the next part of its schedule with a road trip to DeSales University on Tuesday, March 19. The home opener at Kannerstein Field follows the next day, Wednesday at 4 p.m., with a visit from Main Line rival Eastern University.