UNION, N.J. – In a Friday afternoon contest at Kean, the Haverford College baseball team (7-4) withstood the host Cougars (11-6), a team receiving votes in the national polls, to prevail with a 4-2 victory at Jim Hynes Stadium. Sophomore Andrew Johnson (3-0) was brilliant on the mound, allowing just two hits and a walk in his five innings of work, striking out three and facing just two over the minimum.
Haverford manufactured a run against Kean starter Bruce Weyand (1-1) in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Junior Will Karp coaxed a five-pitch walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and swiped third. Senior Ethan Lee-Tyson then followed with a walk and stole second, giving Haverford a pair in scoring position. Junior Luke Wallis then grounded out to the right side, plating Karp for a 1-0 Haverford advantage.
The Fords extended their advantage in the second as first year Zach Landry knocked in senior Tom Phillips with an RBI single, and Lee-Tyson smacked a single to right center to bring home Landry. Suddenly, Haverford found itself with a 3-0 lead after its first two trips to the plate.
Johnson retired the side in order in his first two frames, and worked around a walk in the third inning. After Johnson retired the first Cougars hitter in the fourth, Frank LoGiudice reached on an infield single for Kean's first hit of the contest. LoGiudice was erased trying to steal second, and Johnson was able to cruise out of trouble in the fourth. Johnson surrendered a fifth-inning single, but left the contest unblemished.
Haverford tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning, with Phillips and senior Jared Turner reaching on consecutive singles to begin the frame. A one-out double from senior Nick Perez plated Phillips as Haverford took a four-run cushion into the bottom of the sixth.
Junior Dylan Livingston took over on the hill for Johnson and recorded two quick innings before Kean rallied in the eighth. With two out, John Carello doubled and Derek Walker reached on an error. LoGiudice then deposited a triple down the left field line, plating the pair of baserunners and tightening the Haverford lead to just two at 4- 2. Livingston got Zachary Marzano to ground out to end the threat, and Haverford turned the ball over to Phillips for the final three outs in the ninth.
Phillips made quick work of the Cougars lineup to pick up his second career save, striking out a pair in a perfect inning after beginning the contest at first base.
Lee-Tyson, Wallis, and Landry each had multi-hit games for Haverford. The matchup with Kean was the first for the two squads since the 2016 NCAA Regional in Moosic, Pa, and Haverford's first visit to Kean's campus since 2002.
Haverford will be right back to New Jersey tomorrow, as the Fords travel to Drew for a doubleheader. The Fords will play a pair of seven inning contests with the Rangers. First pitch for game one is slated for noon in Madison, N.J.