HAVERFORD, Pa. - Starting pitcher Tommy Bergjans allowed just one hit and faced one batter over the minimum through his eight innings on the mound Friday afternoon in Haverford College's 5-0 victory over visiting Swarthmore College in Centennial Conference baseball action at Kannerstein Field.
The win by Haverford (16-3, 1-3 CC) -- ranked 21st in the American Baseball Coaches Association ranking and 25th in the D3baseball.com poll -- avenges an early-week loss to Swarthmore (15-7, 3-1) and deals the Garnet their first conference loss of the season.
Bergjans (5-0) earned the win throwing one-hit ball over eight innings while fanning 12 withoutallowing a walk. Four Swarthmore batters reached base during Bergjans' stint on the mound but three were erased on the base paths to allow the sophomore right-hander to face just one batter over the minimum before giving way to reliever Patrick Falkoff at the beginning of the ninth.
Falkoff pitched a perfect ninth to allow the pitching duo to register a combined one-hit, no walk shutout.
Swarthmore starter Joe Warren held his own and battled with Bergjans, but still suffered the loss after surrendering the game's opening run in the bottom of the first, and then being charged with three of the four Haverford runs in the bottom of the eighth.
William Bannard started the Haverford half of the first with a single up the middle off Warren, then stole second base to move into scoring position. Nick Miranda walked, but in a double-steal attempt was caught at second. However, Bannard moved closer to home on the play and then scored the opening run on Alex Hudak's RBI ground out.
The Fords threatened again in the second but Warren induced a double-play ball to escape the inning without harm.
Bergjans and Warren dueled over the next five innings as a combined total of three batters reached safely over the third through seventh innings.
Warren finally gave out in the bottom of the eighth, hitting Nick Ott to start the frame then walking Luke Frankiw to bring about a pitching change.
Miranda's two-RBI double to the gap in left-center field scored Ott and Frankiw, and Miranda came around to score on Casey Fox's single to center. Fox reached second on a fielding error on the play then move to third on a failed pick-off attempt. Hudak singled to right for another RBI, bringing home Fox for the game's final run.
Warren (3-2) threw seven-plus innings for Swarthmore but gave up three runs on just two hits. Five walks and a hit batter doomed the starter, though. Sean Mangus came on in relief and allowed two runs, one unearned, in his one inning of work.
The Fords finished the day with only five hits but timely ones from Miranda and Hudak allowed the pair to each register a two-RBI game.
Friday's baseball win over the Garnet improves Haverford's margin to two points, 6.5-4.5, in the Hood Trophy competition between the two schools.
Haverford travels to Carlisle, Pa., for its next outing, a conference doubleheader against host Dickinson College with the opener scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. start.