HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College baseball team salvaged a 5-5 tie in game two of a doubleheader at home against Franklin & Marshall after falling in the first game by a final score of 14-8. Haverford now sits at 11-9-1 on the season (2-2-1 CC) while the Diplomats are now 14-9-1 (3-1-1 CC).
In game one, junior Ben Furlong set new Haverford single-game records for home runs (3) and total bases (13) with a 4-4, 5 RBI performance that ignited the offense. Across both games, Furlong was 5-10 with three homers and a double while Ethan Lee-Tyson went 5-8 on the day, with three homers and a double.
In game one, Haverford struck first against Diplomats starter Jonathan Cole (2-2) as Lee-Tyson homered in the bottom of the first inning. In the third, Franklin and Marshall erupted for a 10-run frame that was capped by a Justin Cavegn three-run homer to left field as Jared Deveau (2-3) allowed three earned runs in a frame that included three Haverford errors.
The Fords scored a single run on an error in the bottom of the third before Furlong delivered a leadoff solo homer in the bottom of the fourth. Lee-Tyson then led off the fifth with a homer as the Fords trailed 11-4. Furlong led off the sixth inning with a homer against new pitcher Kurt Elmer as Haverford pulled to within 11-5.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lee-Tyson walked and Matt Goss was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Furlong yet again with two outs. The shortstop delivered, striking a home run off the right field foul pole to etch his name into the Haverford and Centennial Conference record books with one swinging of the bat. The three homers in a single game was a first in Haverford program history and tied the Centennial Conference record for most homers in a single contest.
Haverford trailed just 11-8 with new momentum back in the home dugout. Franklin and Marshall added three in the top of the ninth to seal victory, with Casey Bulik hurling the final two frames after moving from third base to pick up the save.
Anthony Rizzo was a standout in relief for the Fords, striking out five in 3.1 innings of work.
In game two, Tom Phillips and Mike Androconis were locked in a duel for the early goings of action, with Franklin and Marshall scoring a run on a double play to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.
Androconis struck out 10 over seven frames of work, but was tagged for a run as Lee-Tyson hit his third home run of the day in the bottom of the sixth inning, leading off the frame with a drive to left field.
With one out in the eighth, Cavegn and David Iacobucci reached to spell the end of the day for Phillips. John Masella came into the contest in relief and surrendered a double to Kengo Hawahara, as the Diplomats pulled ahead 3-1.
A Christopher Vincent sacrifice fly and a Reed Williams single extended the lead to 5-1 going into the bottom of the eighth. Phillips finished the contest with six hits and three earned runs to his name, scattered over 7.1 frames with four strikeouts.
The Fords responded immediately to the newfound Franklin & Marshall lead as Spencer Sohmer walked ahead of three straight doubles from Goss, Sam Partee and Furlong that pulled the Fords to within 5-4. With one out, Will Karp singled to left field to tie the score at 5-5. Nick Perez followed with a double to move Karp to third, but the run was stranded as the teams were again deadlocked.
Haverford had a chance to put things away in the bottom of the 11th frame, as Lee-Tyson led off the inning with a double and Goss singled to right with one out. Partee was intentionally walked to load the bases and the Diplomats then summoned Cory Hecht to serve as an additional infielder while appearing in the box score as the new left fielder, leaving the entirety of outfield duties two just two Diplomats. Furlong lined one directly to Hecht and Harrison Burns flied out to end the threat right field to end the threat.
The contest was declared a tie after 12 full innings as darkness overcame Kannerstein Field.
Freshman Brandon Jenkins tossed the final four frames for Haverford, allowing just one hit and striking out three in a valiant effort. On the visiting side, game one starting catcher Danny Blugis went the final 4.2 innings, allowing six hits while striking out one and walking one,
Lee-Tyson, Goss and Karp each had three-hit contests in game two.
Haverford will have a quick turnaround as Centennial Conference play continues with the Fords making the short jaunt to Collegeville, Pa. for a 1:30 p.m. matchup with Ursinus on Sunday afternoon.