SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Visiting Haverford College outhit host Swarthmore College on Tuesday afternoon in a Centennial Conference baseball match-up at Clothier Field, but the home Garnet were able to escape with a 9-7 victory over the 21st-ranked Fords.
Haverford (14-3, 0-3 CC) led early but a costly error in the fifth frame helped extend a six-run inning for Swarthmore (15-6, 3-0) which remained unbeaten in conference play with Tuesday's win.
The Fords battled back to within a pair of runs in the top of the eighth behind RBI singles from Luke Frankiw and George Hatamiya.
Casey Fox's lead-off double looked like it might spark the Fords in the eighth but Swarthmore starting pitcher Ramsey Walker coaxed a pair of outs from the next two batters. Frankiw stepped into the batter's box and lashed a single to plate Fox and keep the inning alive.
Walker issued a walk to Nick Ott to add another potential run to the base paths for Hatamiya who was pinch-hitting for Zach Taylor. Hatamiya's single scored Frankiw and moved Ott up a base. A walk to William Bannard that loaded the bases put an end to Walker's stay on the mound as he gave way to reliever Matt Bertuch.
The Fords added their third run of the inning when Bertuch walked Nick Miranda, but the rally finally came to an end when Bertuch was able to induce a strikeout to close out the threat and leave three Fords stranded on the base paths.
The Garnet picked up six runs in the bottom of the fifth todig out of a 4-1 Haverford advantage. An early infield error allowed the initial run to score and a hit batter and walk on successive at-bats extended the damage. The big knock in the inning was Trevor Shepherd's two-out, two-RBI double off Haverford starter Kevin Goff who had looked strong through the opening four innings.
Goff threw his initial pitch of the game with a lead as the Fords scored a run in the top of the first. Three more runs crossed the plate in the third to break a tie after the Garnet snuck a run in against Goff in the second.
The three-run third for the Fords was keyed by RBI singles from Fox and Matt Liscovitz.
Walker (4-1) earned the win for the Garnet after allowing 11 hits and seven runs over seven and two-thirds innings of work. Bertuch picked up his fisrt save of the year finishing the last 1.1 innings allowing one hit and three walks.
He only gave up four earned runs but Goff (1-1) ended up taking the loss after throwing five innings of seven-hit ball while walking three and fanning a pair. Clay Bloszies came on in relief of Goff to start the sixth and was charged with two runs, and Max Gerard pitched the eighth surrendering just one hit without any walks while striking out two.
Haverford registered 12 hits in the game to Swarthmore's 11, but left nine runners on base including three in the top of the eighth.
Swarthmore's victory tightens up the friendly competition between the two rival schools who compete for the annual Hood Trophy. After the fall and winter sports Haverford owned a two-point lead heading into the spring. The Garnet's victory Tuesday shaves a half-point from the advantage but the Fords still hold a 6.0 to 4.5 edge.
The Fords head back into action Wednesday when Moravian College visits Kannerstein Field for a non-conference match-up that begins at 4 p.m.