COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Haverford College baseball team scored two runs in the top of the 12th inning to take a thrilling 6-4 victory over the Ursinus College Bears at Thomas Field on Friday afternoon.
It was the Bears who scored first in their half of the second inning. Vince Rondolone led off with a single and advanced to second base on an error. He was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a third strike wild pitch to Jose Colon. The Fords quickly responded by tying the game in the next half inning on a RBI groundout by freshman Spencer Sohmer.
Bergjans struck out the side in the third inning and faced the minimum again in the fourth before the Fords scored two in the fifth to take a 3-1 advantage. Sophomore Ben Verducci (single) and senior Casey Fox (hit-by-pitch) led off the frame by reaching base. Sohmer moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, freshman Mike Schmandt ripped a double to right field, putting the Fords in front. Ursinus tacked on an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth to edge closer.
From the sixth through eighth innings, Bergjans allowed just one base runner, who was quickly erased on a double play. The Fords put a runner in scoring position in the seventh and ninth innings, but couldn't push across an insurance run. Ursinus' Christopher Jablonski led off the ninth with a single and was lifted for Jake Banks as a pinch runner. Banks was sacrificed to second by Timo Muro. Rondolone followed with a single which put runners at second and third with one out. The next Bears' hitter, Austin Kurey, sent the game into extra innings with a RBI groundout.
Each team was held off the scoreboard in the 10th inning, but the visitors got through with a run in the 11th. Verducci led off the frame with a double to left center field and moved to third on a fly out by Fox. Two batters later, Schmandt gave the Fords the lead on a fielder's choice and error.
In the Bears' half of the 11th inning, a RBI single by Rondolone with one out tied the game for a third time. Ursinus had a chance to win the game, but had a runner tagged out at the plate.
Haverford kept adding on with two more runs in the 12th inning. Junior Zach Taylor singled to left center and moved to second when freshman Matt Goss was hit by a pitch. Taylor went to third on a throwing error while Goss stole second. Fox scored Taylor on a sacrifice fly two hitters later. Deveau's RBI infield single in the inning gave the Fords an insurance run.
Freshman Patrick O'Shea picked up first collegiate win after throwing the final two innings. Bergjans finished the afternoon with 17 strikeouts, one shy of tying his personal and school record. He allowed just one earned run and walked one batter. The Centennial Conference all-time leader in strikeouts has struck out at least 10 batters in each of his last seven starts and has 16 10+ strikeout outings in his career.
Verducci had a team-high three hits and was one of two Fords to score two runs in the contest. The sophomore is on a five-game hitting streak, batting .541 (13-for-24) during that span with eight runs scored. Junior Nick Ott and senior Mike Tentilucci also nabbed two hits each in the game. The Fords stole six bases in the victory.
Head coach Dave Beccaria's team's record jumps to 9-16 overall and 5-7 in the Centennial Conference while Ursinus falls to 15-10 and 5-7 in conference action. The Fords get right back in action tomorrow with a doubleheader at Kannerstein Field vs. Washington College beginning at 12:30 p.m.