FORT MYERS, Fla. – Haverford College's baseball season opened with a split of a non-conference doubleheader against Edgewood (Wis.) College at the Gene Cusick Collegiate Classic on Sunday afternoon as the Fords captured Game 1 with a 7-3 victory, with the Eagles taking the nightcap by the same score.
Haverford (1-1) rolled to its win in the early game behind a 4-for-4 outing at the plate from catcher Nick Ott and a strong day on the mound from starting pitcher Tommy Bergjans.
Ott collected two RBIs and scored a run off a pair of doubles and two singles. Nick Miranda was 3-for-4 with Zach Taylor adding a single to help the Fords' attack.
Bergjans (1-0) started and lasted 4 2/3 innings for Haverford, surrendering a pair of unearned runs off only one hit and four walks while fanning five to pick up the win.
Edgewood (2-1) jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning in Game 2 but the Fords battled back to tie the score in the bottom half of the inning behind singles from George Hatamiya, Mike Tentilucci and William Bannard, a sacrifice bunt by Taylor, and an RBI-groundout from Miranda. Bannard's single knocked in the second run of the inning for the Fords.
The Eagles scratched out a run to retake the lead in the top of the sixth only to watch Justin Coulter take an easy jog around the bases to tie the score after leading off the bottom of the frame with his first home run of the season.
The game remained tied into the eighth when a Haverford throwing error with two outs led to two unearned runs for Edgewood which added two more in the frame then held the Fords scoreless in the bottom of the inning to close out the victory.
Freshman Anthony Rizzo started on the mound for Haverford and threw 4 2/3 innings of one-hit ball, giving up two runs off only one hit but five walks. Rizzo also struck out a pair of Eagles. Clay Bloszies (0-1) came on in relief for Rizzo in the fifth and lasted into the eighth, giving up seven hits and four walks for a total of five runs in taking the loss. Grant Finn recorded the final out of the eighth for the Fords.
The team's spring break trip continues Monday with a non-league doubleheader against Wisconsin Lutheran.