FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Haverford College baseball team fell to Lakeland in both ends of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Terry Park, dropping the first game by a final score of 7-6 and the second game by a margin of 5-1. The contests were both seven inning games. Haverford falls to 0-5 on the season while Lakeland improves to 4-0 with the victories.
In game one, Lakeland struck for two runs in the first against junior Luke Duris (0-1) with Travis Regaldo striking for a two-run homer. Haverford quickly had an answer, with Ethan Lee-Tyson singling to center field and advancing to third on an error and a stolen base.
Spencer Sohmer grounded out, plating Lee-Tyson before Michael Schwarze singled home Ben Furlong to tie the score at 2-2.
Regalado launched his second homer of the contest is the third inning, and Lakeland pushed across four runs on three hits in the fourth.
The Fords inched closer against Connor Hilburn (1-0) as Tom Phillips led off the fifth with a single and Will Karp reached on a bunt. Karp promptly stole second, putting a pair in scoring position with no outs. Lee-Tyson delivered an RBI groundout and Karp scored on a wild pitch as the Fords pulled to within three at 7-4.
Owen Plambeck singled home Matt Goss in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 7-5 and the Fords added a run in the seventh inning as Karp led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third base on a wild pitch and a passed ball. Sohmer then drove a ball to center field, plating Karp for a sacrifice fly. Ben Furlong was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch, putting the tying run in scoring position, but Ryan Oharriz nailed down his first save of the season for the Muskies.
Duris struck out four while Daniel Joffe added a pair of strikeouts in relief. Offensively, Karp and Plambeck each had two hits while Sohmer knocked in a pair of runs. On the basepaths, Haverford swiped five bases. Lakeland had a three hit, three RBI performance from Regalado while Hilburn struck out seven in his six innings of work.
In game two, Haverford gave the ball to first year Nathan Bass (0-1). Bass and Jack Banks of Lakeland traded scoreless frames for the first two innings before Lakeland struck for a pair of runs in the third inning as Regalado powered his third homer of the afternoon.
In the fourth, Lakeland added to its lead as Drew Richard singled off of new Haverford pitcher Andrew Johnson for a 3-0 advantage.
In the sixth inning, Plambeck singled to open up the inning and advanced to third on a Lakeland error. Karp tallied an RBI groundout to cut the lead to 3-1 but Tayler Johann got the final out of the frame in relief of Banks.
Lakeland added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking a 5-1 lead into the seventh frame. The Fords got a pair on in the seventh as Sohmer and Plambeck both singled, but Johann induced a groundout to end the contest in favor of Lakeland.
Plambeck had two hits to pace Haverford offensively. The Fords swiped four bases in the second game of the day. On the mound, Bass tallied four strikeouts while Johnson got three of his four outs via the strikeout.
For Lakeland, Regalado was again the offensive standout with two hits and two RBI. Peyton Knoll also registered a pair of singles.
Banks' allowed just two hits in his 5.2 innings of work, striking out two. Johann was credited with the save after two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.
The Fords return to action on Monday with a doubleheader against Edgewood (Wis.) at the PDC Complex in Fort Myers. Game times are slated for 12 p.m.. and 3 p.m. as action at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic rolls on. The Fords have faced off with Edgewood on four prior occasions, going 3-1 against the Eagles in two previous doubleheaders during the spring trip in 2013 and 2014.