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Furlong's Walk-Off Single Lifts Baseball in Extra Innings

Ben Furlong
Ben Furlong

MOOSIC, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team refused to surrender to top-seeded No. 24 Misericordia Thursday on PNC Field. In an elimination game, the Fords rallied late in the ninth inning to tie the game before shortstop Ben Furlong drove in the walk-off game-winner in the tenth to give Haverford the 7-6 win.

The Fords trailed 6-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Zach Taylor led off the inning with a single and then advanced to second a wild pitch. Two batters later, Yannick Villanueva hit an infield single that tied up the Cougars' shortstop. The next batter, Matt Goss, singled to center to drive in Taylor and make it a one run game with one out. The base hit also advanced Jared Turner, who was pinch running for Villanueva, to second. Ethan Lee-Tyson then loaded the bases when he reached on an error. With the bases juiced, Ben Verducci legged out a fielder's choice to second to score Jared Turner for the game-tying run.

In the top of the tenth, relief pitcher George Hatamiya, who was on the mound when the Fords won the Centennial Conference Championship, walked the leadoff batter but then ran through the next three to give Haverford the opportunity to win it in the bottom of the inning.

Spencer Sohmer led off with a single and Sam Partee, who hit a home run earlier, walked to give the Fords two men on. With two outs, Furlong turned on a pitch to right field, scoring Sohmer to give Haverford the win and keep its season alive.

Earlier in the game, the Fords scored four runs in the fourth inning including Partee's two-run shot and RBI base hits by Villanueva and Furlong.

Furlong finished the game 2-for-5 including a triple with two RBI and a run scored. Villanueva was 3-for-4. Sohmer and Partee had two hits apiece.

Justin Herring drew the start for Haverford but had to come out less an inning into the game. In relief, Grant Finn stepped up to throw 5.2 innings. Hatamiya earned the win after tossing 3.2 scoreless innings.

With Haverford's win, top-seeded Misericordia's season is over. Next, the Fords will play Kean. Kean lost to St. John Fisher in the second winner's game on Thursday. That game will be  played at 1:15 p.m. on Friday.