EWING, N.J. - Playing a ranked opponent for the second day in a row, the Haverford College baseball team was edged, 4-3, by the No. 17 Lions of The College of New Jersey at George Ackerman Park. Haverford made its first Garden State appearance of the 2018 campaign, taking a 3-2 lead on a sacrifice fly from Spencer Sohmer in the seventh inning before a late rally from the hosts ended with a walk-off RBI single by Avery Epstein in the bottom of the ninth. Haverford is now 7-10 on the season while TCNJ is 10-2.
Haverford sent Nathan Vucovich to the hill for the start against TCNJ's Michael Fischer. The Lions plated the opening run against Vucovich in the second inning. Tommy McCarthy doubled with one out and came in to score on a double from Ryan Fischer.
The Fords took an early 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Ben Furlong roped a double to left field and Harrison Burns singled ahead of an error by Fischer that allowed Will Karp to reach, loading the bases. With one out, Spencer Sohmer was hit by a pitch, plating the tying run of the contest. With two out, Matt Goss walked with the bases still loaded, giving the Fords an early lead.
TCNJ pushed a run across in the bottom of the sixth inning. Danny Borup doubled to left field to lead off the frame, as Haverford went to the bullpen bringing Brandon Jenkins into the game to spell Vucovich. Mike Follet singled and Borup advanced to third and scored on an error to tie the score at 2-2.
Haverford went ahead at 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning. Burns and Karp each singled to lead off the inning and advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. With one out, Sohmer delivered a sacrifice fly to right field for the go-ahead run.
Ryan Fischer homered off Jenkins in the bottom of the seventh, knotting the game up yet again at 3-3. In the TCNJ eighth, Thomas Primosch worked out of a jam as Borup and Follet reached on singles to begin the inning and advanced into scoring position on a double steal. Austin Lindsay struck out and McCarthy grounded out as Primosch succesfully averted trouble to give Haverford a chance to take the lead in the ninth.
Nickolas Kleftogiannis (1-0) was solid in relief as the righty did not allow a hit in the eighth or ninth inning, allowing TCNJ a chance to walk-off in the ninth.
David Cardona and Ryan Fischer walked to begin the ninth and Andrew Johnson was then summoned from the bullpen for the Fords. Matt Giacose moved the pair into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Epstein then singled to score pinch runner Aydon Chavis for the 4-3 walk-off victory.
Vucovich gave Haverford another solid pitching performance, tossing five innings and allowing just four hits and one earned run while walking one and strking out a pair. Michael Fischer was a standout on the mound for the Lions, striking out seven over his seven innings of work while allowing four hits and four walks.
Spencer Sohmer contributed two RBIs without the benefit of a hit while Harrison Burns was the only Ford to notch multiple hits. Borup had a game-high three hits for TCNJ to complement Fischer's two-RBI afternoon.
Haverford plays its third game in three days on Thursday, this time at the friendly confines of Kannerstein Field against Cabrini. First pitch for the contest is slated for 3:30 p.m.
The matchup is the first ever between Haverford and the second-year Cavaliers program.