GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team (2-0) commenced the 2024 season with a pair of seven-inning victories at Gwynedd Mercy (1-2) on Saturday, notching a 6-2 triumph in seven innings for the season-opening win, and returning for a 2-0 blanking of the Griffins in the second contest of the day. The contests took place at the new Frank O. Genuardi turf field on the campus of Gwynedd Mercy. 

Game 1: Haverford 6, Gwynedd Mercy 2

Haverford wasted no time scoring in the season opener, with the Fords putting their first run on the board just moments after recording the first out. Facing Patrick Tailey on the mound, a pair of walks and a hit batter loaded the bases for Jack Wallis. Wallis hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in Harry Genth for the opening run. Mike Rabayda (1-0) returned to the mound for the first time since the 2022 campaign and looked sharp on Saturday. Rabayda struck out two in the first inning and efficiently handled the Gwynedd Mercy batters in the second and third.

The offense added three more runs in the fourth. Chuck Norton walked, and Kendrick Curry II reached on a bunt single. A wild pitch moved them to scoring position, and Mauro DeCillis delivered a sacrifice bunt that plated Norton. Daniel Rosman walked, setting the stage for Genth to mash a double into left field, scoring Rosman and Curry.

Rabayda had a shutdown inning in the fourth despite the Griffins getting their first hit on an infield single. Rabayda tossed a scoreless fifth with two strikeouts before giving way to Colin Lewis to start the sixth frame. Lewis delivered a quick strikeout, but a double from Frank Ebling and an RBI groundout from Ricky Templeton plated two runs, narrowing the Haverford lead to 4-2.

The Fords responded with two more runs in the top of the seventh against Tony Barbosa. Anthony Runfola and Kyle Beach both walked, and a double steal moved them into scoring position. A wild pitch brought Runfola home, and Norton then legged out an RBI single to shortstop to plate Beach. Lewis calmly fired a perfect bottom of the seventh to secure the Haverford win in the opener.

Genth had the only extra-base hit of the game for the Fords, and neither team had a player log a multi-hit game. Rabayda was dominant in his return, striking out seven and allowing just a pair of infield singles while walking one. Lewis tallied three strikeouts in his two innings of work.

Game 2: Haverford 2, Gwynedd Mercy 0

The second contest was again a pitchers' duel, featuring Riley Grohowski (1-0) against Cooper Root. Haverford put a pair of runners on in the first as Rosman and Runfola each singled, but Root induced a double play to escape the jam. Grohowski delivered a perfect frame in each of the first three innings, striking out the side in the second frame.

In the bottom of the fourth, Grohowski's perfect start was interrupted by an infield single from Chris Nodeland, but he worked out of trouble, stranding a pair in the inning. Barry Walker reached on a single in the fifth but was caught stealing as Grohowski set down Ryan Horner and Justin Smith to keep the Griffins off the scoreboard.

Haverford struck for a pair in the sixth. Rosman reached on an error, and Genth placed his second double of the afternoon down the left field line. Runfola then punched a double into left, plating the pair. Grohowski responded with a shutdown sixth, as Nodeland reached on a one-out single but was promptly retired on a double play.

Wyatt Mattison was called upon for a save opportunity in the seventh and made the most of it, working around a tricky situation to secure the win. With one out, Ebling walked, and Nick Price singled. A crucial second out came as Mattison picked off Price, but Walker took a free pass to restore the two-runners on scenario. Mattison induced a grounder to first off the bat of Horner to ensure the doubleheader sweep.

Runfola had an emphatic return to the lineup, with three hits and two RBIs on the afternoon. Matt Dahl got the start at third base and recorded his first career hit. Grohowski was stellar with six innings of three-hit ball, allowing just one walk and striking out five.

Haverford now returns to action on Saturday, March 2, for a twinbill at NYU. The contests will take place at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, the home of the Atlantic League's Staten Island FerryHawks. Action is slated to begin at 12 p.m.