JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Haverford College baseball team (0-2) headed to Jersey City for an early season matchup with New Jersey City University (1-1) on Sunday afternoon, falling in a late February slugfest, 17-7.
Haverford got on the scoreboard with a pair of early runs against NJCU starter Riley Morrow, with Zach Landry reaching on an error to plate Jonny Flieder before Kyle Beach delivered an infield single to score Landry. Drew Doyle got the start for the Fords, as the Gothic Knights rallied to knot the score at 2-2 with a solo home run from Josh Hernandez to lead off the contest before the hosts added another run on an error.
After the two sides swapped scoreless frames in the second, the hosts struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Sam Cohen replaced Doyle on the mound. Dom Yarson and Ali Pompey each added RBI singles in the stretch, giving NJCU an early two-run lead. A two-out triple into the gap from Harry Genth pulled Haverford back within one, but the Gothic Knights opened up an 8-3 lead with a four-run fourth-inning rally.
Landry tripled in the fifth, and Beach got a run home with a sacrifice fly, but NJCU again had an answer in the fifth, tacking on three more runs to break things open at 11-4. Haverford rallied in the sixth, with a bases loaded walk to Zack Becker serving as a prelude to a pair of productive outs, as Flieder notched a sac fly and Landry contributed an RBI groundout to put Haverford back within striking distance at 11-7.
NCJU added six runs over the final two frames to preserve the win. Jack Wallis and Daniel Rosman each had multi-hit days for the Fords, and Beach contributed a pair of RBI. The pitching staff, which featured three collegiate debuts, collected eight total strikeouts, as Doyle, Aidan O'Sullivan, and Colin Lewis each added two.
Haverford now shifts focus to the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Southwest Florida, as the Fords head to Fort Myers for nine games over the college's spring break period. Haverford opens with a doubleheader against Alvernia on Sunday, March 5.