MOOSIC, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team was unable to hold off a late charge by UMass-Boston in the first game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament on Wednesday at PNC Field, and fell by a score of 6-2. The Fords held the Beacons scoreless into the seventh inning, but a late offensive surge gave UMass-Boston the advantage.

Starting pitcher Stephen Ridings was in usual form, finishing the game having given up no earned runs over 6.2 innings. He struck out 11, which ties his season high, and walked just three. He also fanned 11 at home this season against McDaniel (April 16).

The Beacon defense made five errors in the game but Haverford struggled to take advantage as baserunners were otherwise hard to come by. Opposing pitchers Dan Mantoni and Bobby Tramondozzi allowed just six hits and one walk in nine innings.

The Haverford offense was still able to manage two early runs despite the good pitching. After Matt Goss walked to lead off the second inning, Zach Taylor gave the Fords a man on first and second after reaching on an error. Later in the inning, catcher Sam Kane drove in Goss on an RBI single. Taylor also scored after a throwing error on the UMass-Boston shortstop. 

The pitchers continued to duel after that, with neither team threatening again until the Beacons' three-run seventh inning to give them the lead. 

Kane finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ben Verducci, Ethan Lee-Tyson, Spencer Sohmer, and Taylor each had a base hit in the contest as well.

Haverford will be in action again on Thursday in an elimination game against top-seeded Misericordia, which was edged by eighth-seeded Penn State Berks on Wednesday afternoon. The game will begin at 10 a.m.