FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Haverford College baseball team split its doubleheader vs. the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors to get its first victory of the 2015 season on Monday afternoon.
Wisconsin Lutheran 5, Haverford 2
In game one, the Warriors got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and then added four more runs in the second. After the first two hitters reached to start the second, an error on a sacrifice bunt allowed two runs to score for the Warriors. Two additional RBI singles gave Wisconsin Lutheran a 5-0 lead.
The Fords scratched across a run the top half of the fourth frame. Sophomore Jared Deveau struck out to open the inning, but reached on a dropped third strike. Before junior Zach Taylor was hit by a pitch, Deveau stole second. The two Haverford runners advanced one base each after a wild pitch. Senior Mike Tentilucci would then ground out, allowing Deveau to score.
Taylor led off the seventh inning with his third career home run, but it was not enough as Haverford fell in game one. The Fords snagged three stolen bases in the contest. Senior Max Gerard went five innings, allowing just two earned runs in the loss.
Wisconsin Lutheran's Zack Skog paced the Warriors with two hits, while Brett Youngbeck had two RBI and two walks. Jaime Paumen pitched a complete game, giving up just one earned run in the win.
Haverford 8, Wisconsin Lutheran 4
The Fords banged out nine hits and stole seven bases in their 8-4 victory in game two vs. Wisconsin Lutheran.
The Warriors scored two runs in the first inning, but the Fords responded with a four spot in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, junior George Hatamiya walked and then stole second before coming around to score on a Taylor RBI single. Taylor would swipe home three batters later on a double steal attempt. Freshman Spencer Sohmer tallied the first hit and RBI of his career with a double to left field. The freshman touched home a batter later on senior Marley Randazzo's RBI double.
Wisconsin Lutheran rallied to tie the score at four in the top of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly and pick-off attempt, but Haverford answered with four runs in bottom half of the frame. A passed ball and wild pitch gave the Fords two insurance runs before RBI groundouts by sophomores Thomas Vollaro and Ben Verducci provided a four run cushion.
In the final inning, the Warriors got two runners in scoring position, but senior Clay Bloszies shut the door to give the Fords their first victory of the 2015 campaign.
Taylor set a career high with three stolen bases. Vollaro, Verducci, Sohmer and Randazzo also nabbed steals in the game. Taylor, Sohmer and sophomore Yannick Villanueva each had two hits. In first career start, freshman Justin Herring pitched four innings, allowing two runs (none earned). Junior Grant Finn picked up the win in relief.
Youngbeck went 3-for-3 for Wisconsin Lutheran while Sam Mattheis and Brock Vredeveld recorded two hits in the loss.
Head coach Dave Beccaria's squad's record now stands at 1-3 on the young season while Wisconsin Lutheran is now 1-1 overall. The Fords' spring break trip continues with a battle against Rockford tomorrow morning with first pitch scheduled for 9 a.m.