HAVERFORD, Pa. – Freshman Justin Coulter's first collegiate home run provided Haverford College with the winning run Monday afternoon as the Fords earned a 3-2 Centennial Conference victory against visiting Muhlenberg College.
The Mules (6-22-1, 3-7 CC) pulled even at 2-2 in the top of the fifth with an unearned run, their second of the game, off Fords starter Colin Sarafin while Muhlenberg's Rob Shannon was holding Haverford (23-4, 8-2) to just two runs on three hits.
The fourth, and final, hit Shannon surrendered was costly. His two-out, 1-0 offering to Coulter didn't come to rest until it settled in the pine straw under the trees past the right-center field fence.
Patrick Falkoff was the pitching recipient of Coulter's gift as the freshman right-hander had come on in relief in the top half of the inning. Falkoff (3-0) earned the win throwing a pair of scoreless innings allowing just one base-runner, via a walk, who was erased to close out the seventh by the Fords' fourth double-play of the game.
Sarafin got in trouble early allowing a lead-off single to the first batter in the game. Jeff Puklin, who'd moved all the way to third on an errant pick-off attempt by Sarafin, came in to score the opening run for the Mules on the next batter's ground-out to Charlie Carluccio at short.
Louis DeRosa picked the Fords up in the bottom half of the inning, though, with a lead-off double to the wall in right-center. DeRosa stole third then came home on Carluccio's one-out ground-out to the Muhlenberg shortstop.
DeRosa figured in the second Haverford run reaching on a two-out walk by Shannon in the bottom of the third. A passed ball moved DeRosa to third where he trotted home on Jake Chaplin's single to left for a 2-1 Haverford lead.
An error and a series of walks by Sarafin in the fifth led to the Mules' second unearned run of the game but the Fords starter got out of a bases-loaded jam with yet another grounder to Carluccio.
Kevin Goff came on in relief of Sarafin to start the sixth and, like Falkoff who started the seventh, allowed just one base-runner who failed to score. Mike Bozzi earned his fourth save of the year pitching a perfect ninth to close out the victory for Haverford.
DeRosa finished the day with a pair of hits, two walks and the first two Haverford runs. Chaplin and Carluccio collected an RBI each, while Coulter provided the winning RBI with his solo shot.
Shannon (0-4), who entered the game with a 9.68 ERA over 17.2 innings of work, took the loss but had a solid outing on the mound for Muhlenberg allowing three runs on four hits while walking three and striking out one.
The Haverford pitchers certainly enjoyed the gold-glove work of their infielders all game long as the Fords ended the first, second, third and seventh innings with double-plays.
Haverford continues its busy week with another Centennial battle Tuesday afternoon when Ursinus College comes to Class of '16 Field for a 3:30 p.m. contest.
Diamond notes: Over the weekend Carluccio became the program's all-time runs and hits leader. With 128 career runs, Carluccio overtook assistant coach Dan Crowley's total of 126 runs. Carluccio also passed Ben Einbinder (163) for the lead in career hits which now stands at 167 … Carluccio was announced as the Centennial's co-player of the week prior to Monday's game … Bozzi's four saves is second-most in the conference … The Fords' Bryan Henrick had a superb outing Sunday at McDaniel, lowering his ERA to a league-best 1.82. Henrick was named this week's conference pitcher of the week.