FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Haverford College baseball team (1-1) split on the first day of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Sunday, taking a 13-5 victory over Skidmore in the season opener, before falling 7-4 in the second contest at the Player Development Complex in Fort Myers.
Haverford 13, Skidmore 5
In the first game of the day, Haverford added a single run in the first inning as Luke Wallis roped an RBI single to score Ethan Lee-Tyson. Haverford's offense went back to work in the second frame, as Sam Partee and Tom Phillips singled ahead of an RBI single from first year Zach Landry. Will Karp later reached on an error, plating a pair of runs in the process. Ethan Lee-Tyson singled in the inning and Wallis connected on a double, and suddenly the Fords had a five-run, six-hit inning against Skidmore starting hurler Spencer Anderson (0-1), building a 6-0 lead in the early goings.
Skidmore scored three against Fords starter Andrew Johnson (1-0) in the third, but Landry and Karp smashed back-to-back triples in the bottom of the frame, and first year Ryan Schwartz added a two-RBI double in the fifth to extend Haverford's lead to ten at 13-3.
Johnson allowed three earned runs and scattered four hits in his 4.1 innings of work while striking out five Thoroughbreds. Brandon Jenkins and Daniel Joffe combined for the final 2.2 innings of work in the seven-inning contest, teaming up to allow just three hits while striking out five.
Will Karp went 3-for-3 from the leadoff spot, joining Schwartz, Wallis, and Landry with a pair of runs batted in in the triumph.
Skidmore 7, Haverford 4
In game two, senior co-captain Jared Turner opened the Haverford scoring with an RBI double in the second inning, but the Skidmore offense came back with five runs of its own in the second before adding another insurance run in the third.
Facing a 7-1 deficit, Haverford rallied late with Lee-Tyson knocking an RBI double in the sixth inning to cut the lead to five at 7-2. In the seventh, Turner led off the frame with a double, and Nick Perez knocked in Turner with a single. Skidmore went to the bullpen, calling on Spencer Meyer, but consecutive singles from Lee-Tyson and Wallis plated Perez, trimming the Skidmore advantage to just three. Although tested by Haverford's late charge, Meyer was able to work out of trouble, sealing a save in the process.
Lee-Tyson and Turner each had a pair of hits for the Fords in game two. First year Ben Browning also added his first career hit in the second inning. Skidmore's Jay Gamboa (1-0) stifled the Haverford offense in his 6.1 innings of work, striking out six while allowing just two earned runs.
The Fords are now 5-1 all-time against Skidmore, with each of the matchups occuring in Florida. Haverford is off Monday, but returns to action Tuesday morning, with a doubleheader slated against Pitt-Bradford. The first pitch is slated for 9 a.m., with the second contest to follow at approximately noon.