CARLISLE, Pa. – The Haverford College baseball team (10-11, 3-2 CC) was defeated in a doubleheader at MacPhail Field, falling in a pair of one-run contests to host Dickinson (17-5, 4-1 CC). The Red Devils held on for a 3-2 victory in the first game before outlasting the Fords in the second, coming away with a 4-3 win in extra innings to secure the doubleheader sweep.
Dickinson 3, Haverford 2
Haverford sent reigning Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Week Nathan Bass (2-1) to the hill in the opening game of the doubleheader. Dickinson scored a first inning run as Alex Cohen notched an RBI single in the opening frame, and the Red Devils added to their lead in the second as Joey Volpe was hit by a pitch, and moved to second on a stolen base. Volpe scored on a Brian Reilly single to center to plate the first run of the contest. The Fords were largely kept quiet offensively in the early goings as Teddy Reddington (4-2) worked 7.1 four-hit innings for Dickinson. Reddington allowed base runners in the second, third, and fourth, but was able to work out of trouble without surrendering a run to Haverford.
The Red Devils added a much-needed insurance run in the fifth, without the benefit of a hit. A pair of walks and a hit batter loaded the bases, and Dickinson pushed a run across on a wild pitch. In the sixth, Haverford got on the scoreboard for its first run of the contest. Will Karp led off the frame with an infield single, and after reaching on a fielder's choice; Harrison Burns stole second and came in to score on a Dickinson error.
The Fords were kept off the scoreboard in the seventh, and eighth, but had a promising rally developing in the ninth inning against Dickinson closer Tommy Koide. Zach Landry was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and Garrett Melby then drilled a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. An error by Dickinson allowed Landry to score, cutting the Dickinson lead to just 3-2, with the rally still brewing.
With two out, Will Karp doubled into the gap, and Melby advanced to third. Unfortunately for Haverford, Koide would work out of a bases-loaded jam, securing his sixth save of the season after a rocky ninth-inning stint on the hill.
Karp paced Haverford with a multi-hit contest, while Harrison Burns swiped three bases in the loss. Bass went five innings, allowing three hits, walking three, while striking out five Dickinson hitters. Daniel Joffe logged the final three innings on the mound, allowing just two hits while striking out two in a scoreless appearance. Joffe lowered his ERA to 0.71 this season, as the senior has allowed just one earned run in 12.2 innings of work.
Dickinson 4, Haverford 3 (10 innings)
In the late afternoon game, the Fords turned to first-year lefty Martin Matsumura while Dickinson countered with Jake Geddes. Dickinson prevailed in extra innings thanks to a 10th inning rally. Owen Plambeck matched a career best with a four-hit day to lead the Haverford offensive attack, while Landry also provided a pair of singles. The Fords grabbed two first inning runs against Geddes to set the tone for a back-and-forth contest.
Karp was hit by a pitch and stole second with one out. Luke Wallis later singled into right field, plating Karp for the opening run for the Fords. Plambeck singled ahead of a Landry RBI single, and suddenly the Fords had the offense working to the tune of a 2-0 advantage before the Red Devils had their first trip to the plate.
Dickinson grabbed a run back against Matsumura in the third as Alex Cohen doubled in a run, and the Red Devils tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth as Reilly doubled against reliever Andrew Johnson, before Chris Delsandro knocked in his teammate with a single.
A sacrifice fly in the seventh inning gave Dickinson its first lead at 3-2, but the Fords went to work against Carter Langan in the eighth. Burns drilled a single with one out, and promptly stole second. Plambeck then knocked in Burns to again tie the score at 3-3. The Fords turned the ball to senior Tom Phillips to get out of their own eighth inning jam, and Phillips delivered in a big way, striking out Ben Carter to get out of the eighth before tossing a perfect frame in the ninth, sending the game into extras.
Plambeck singled in the 10th, but Koide worked out of trouble in his second appearance of the day, setting the stage for a Dickinson rally in the bottom of the inning. Max Matilsky was hit by a pitch to open up the frame, and Pat Harrington singled. After Reilly reached on an error to load the bases, a walk to walk Max Brown with the bases loaded plated the winning run.
Johnson pitched the bulk of the contest for the Fords, logging 4.2 innings while surrendering five hits and one earned run, striking out five Red Devils. Geddes worked seven strong innings for Dickinson, fanning four batters and allowing six hits and two earned runs.
Haverford now returns to action on Monday, facing off with Muhlenberg for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch on Kannerstein Field. A busy week continues with a home-and-home series with Ursinus slated for Tuesday at Kannerstein Field and Friday in Collegeville. Haverford then hosts Johns Hopkins for a twinbill on Saturday, April 13.