Signature Wins: The Fords picked up their first Centennial Conference win of the season with a 5-3 victory in game one of a doubleheader at Kannerstein Field vs. the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (Mar. 29). Tommy Bergjans allowed four hits, walked two batters, had just two runners reach scoring position and struck out 15 hitters. His 15 strikeouts were the second most in program history for a single game.
Haverford qualified for the Centennial Conference playoffs for the eighth straight season with a doubleheader sweep of the Gettysburg College Bullets (Apr. 25) coupled with two Washington College's losses to Dickinson. In game one vs. the Bullets, the Fords pounded out 20 hits en route to an 18-3 victory. In game two, head coach Dave Beccaria's squad headed into its last at-bat down by a run. An RBI single by junior Zach Taylor with one out tied the score for a third time. With runners on second and third, junior Nick Ott hit a ground ball to the third baseman who stepped on bag, but threw the ball away. The first baseman then tried to throw freshman Mike Schmandt out at the plate, but the ball got away from the catcher and went out of the play, allowing Ott to touch home for the Fords' sixth run of the game. The Bullets got a lead-off single in the ninth, but Bergjans struck out the side to secure the doubleheader sweep for the Fords.
Notes: Schmandt led the Fords' offense in batting average (.383), slugging percentage (.593), multi-RBI games (seven) and was second on the squad in on-base percentage (.457) and third in total bases (48) … The freshman also gave up zero unearned runs in 11 1/3 innings … Bergjans was fantastic as he led the team in wins (five), starts (nine), innings pitched (67.1) and strikeouts (111) … Senior Casey Fox pulled double duty as he was second on the Fords with 34 hits, tied for second with eight doubles and 13 walks, while going 2-5 on the mound with 4.91 ERA and two complete games … Sophomore Ben Verducci posted a .376 average and team-high 35 hits ... Haverford finished the season ranked 25th nationally in stolen bases (91) and 11th in stolen bases per game (2.6).
Postseason Awards:
D3baseball.com All-American: Bergjans (first team)
D3baseball.com All-Mid-Atlantic Region: Bergjans (first team)
D3baseball.com All-Mid-Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year: Bergjans
ABCA/Rawlings All-American: Bergjans (third team)
ABCA/Rawlings All-Mid-Atlantic Region: Bergjans (first team)
All-Centennial Conference: Bergjans (first team), Fox (second team), Verducci (second team)
Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Year: Bergjans
CoSIDA Academic All-American: Bergjans (third team)
CoSIDA Academic All-District Team: Bergjans (first team)
Haverford College Varsity Cup: Bergjans
Centennial Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll: Bergjans, Grant Finn, Fox, John Masella, John Miraglia, Marley Randazzo, Mike Tentilucci, Verducci
Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area: Bergjans
Looking Ahead: The Fords will return their top eight hitters, highlighted by Schmandt and Verducci. Freshman Spencer Sohmer (.310 batting average) led the team with 10 doubles and was tied for second in walks (13). Freshman Matt Goss had the team high in runs scored (28), walks (15), hit-by-pitch (13), on-base percentage (.466). Freshman Justin Herring will be the top starting pitcher returning as he tallied a 4.54 ERA in 41 2/3 innings while freshman Patrick O'Shea had a 3.27 ERA in 13 outings out of the bullpen.