STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The Haverford College baseball team (3-1) played a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Staten Island University Hospital Community Ballpark, taking on the Violets of New York University (6-1) in the matinee. Haverford came away with a doubleheader split, taking the second game in a wild, back-and-forth 14-8 decision after a ninth-inning comeback set the tone with a six-run frame. The Fords fell in the first contest, 9-4, in a seven-inning battle.
Game One: NYU 9, Haverford 4
On an unseasonably warm day in New York City, Haverford's reigning Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Week, Mike Rabayda, made the start for the Fords. Rabayda and Sean Bolin traded scoreless frames for the first two innings, with each starter matching the other in what looked to be another pitchers' duel.
The Fords pushed a run across in the third inning as Daniel Rosman was hit by a pitch with one out and then advanced to third on a throwing error that resulted from a failed pickoff attempt. With two down, Anthony Runfola reached on an infield single, plating Rosman for an early 1-0 lead. NYU struck for four runs in the fourth inning, with Max Oliveira and Harrison Blueweiss each delivering RBI singles to chase Rabayda out of the game after 3.2 innings pitched.
Mauro DeCillis doubled with one out in the fourth, and Haverford pushed a run across on an RBI grounder from Anthony Runfola to pull back within two. However, the Violets rallied in the fifth, with Richard Beggy collecting an RBI single before a fielder's choice netted another RBI for Oliveira.
Matt Dahl punched a one-out, two-RBI double into right-center in the sixth, pulling the Fords back within two at 6-4, but Zack Cetin limited the damage by striking out the side.
NYU plated three more in the bottom of the sixth to open up the lead a bit, as Oliveira again did damage with a two-RBI double, giving the Violets a five-run cushion entering the final frame. Ansel Balmer induced a game-ending double play to seal things for the hosts.
Runfola had a three-hit game to pace Haverford, while Rabayda struck out three in his 3.2 innings of work. Nate Pallota had three hits for NYU, while Oliveira had a game-high four RBIs. Bolin and Cetin each had three strikeouts.
Game Two: Haverford 14, NYU 8
In game two, Haverford pushed a run across in the first against Andrew Reid as Genth singled and stole second and third before coming into score on an error. NYU tagged Haverford starter Riley Grohowski for a trio of runs, including two unearned, in the bottom of the frame, before Pranav Rane knocked a sacrifice fly in the second to trim the lead back to 3-2.
The score held at 3-2 until the NYU fourth, as Nick Argenziano notched a two-out RBI single after a Blueweiss double. Harry Genth put a charge into a towering three-run homer in the fifth, giving the Fords the lead again and chasing Reid from the contest. The big inning continued for Haverford, as the offense erupted for four runs, with Jonny Flieder notching a sacrifice fly to give the visitors a 6-4 cushion.
After Wyatt Mattison took over with a perfect inning of relief in the sixth, a Flieder RBI single put Haverford ahead by three at 7-4. NYU tagged Mattison with a two-run seventh to pull back within one as Cam Dunn and Andrew VanLandingham each delivered RBI hits in the frame.
Haverford entered the eighth clinging to the one-run cushion, but after Mattison got into trouble with the bases loaded, Runfola was summoned from right field to take over on the bump for his collegiate pitching debut. Runfola delivered a quick strikeout, but a dramatic two-out, two-RBI double to the wall by Dunn gave NYU the lead again, this time at 8-7.
The Fords immediately went back to work offensively against Joey Cetale, regaining the lead without giving up the first out. Jack Wallis roped a single ahead of another moonshot home run to left field, this time from Chuck Norton. The Norton blast put the Fords up 9-8, and then the floodgates opened with Rosman notching a bases-loaded walk before Genth broke things wide open with a bases-clearing triple, collecting three more RBIs for a 13-8 cushion. Norton took his second at-bat of the frame and posted an RBI groundout for the 14th and final Haverford run of the contest.
Runfola worked around a pair of Violet baserunners in the final inning to secure his first collegiate victory on the mound. Genth had a stellar contest with three hits, six RBIs, and four stolen bases. He also scored two runs and walked twice. DeCillis and Norton each also had three hits while Wallis added a pair. Haverford stole 12 bases in the contest.
Haverford now returns to action on Tuesday, March 5, hosting Eastern for the 2024 home opener at Kannerstein Field. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m before the Fords head out to the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic for the annual spring break games in Fort Myers, Fla., with action beginning Sunday.