RADNOR TOWNSHIP, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team (6-7) dropped a doubleheader to Cabrini (13-3) on Saturday, falling by an 8-2 decision in a seven-inning contest before seeing its comeback fall just short as a ninth-inning rally was thwarted as Cabrini hurler Brian Dino pulled a magician's act to nail down the save in the 3-2 contest to wrap up the afternoon.
In game one, the Fords looked to their co-captain in August Williams (1-1) on the hill. Williams tallied four innings of work, surrendering four hits, four earned runs, and four walks while striking out four.
Haverford supported the junior starter with a pair of runs in the fourth, as Zach Becker and Harry Genth both singled to set the stage for Zach Landry's sacrifice fly and Zach Buck's double into the right field gap.
Cabrini got a run back in the fourth, and plated four in the fifth against reliever Kevin Casey, who ran into trouble in the frame. In total, Cabrini plated four runs without the benefit of the hit as they coaxed six walks in the span of seven hitters.
A more conventional offensive flurry in the sixth plated three more runs as the hosts cruised to an 8-2 victory. Haverford banged out eight hits, including two each from Becker and Landry.
In the second game, a nine inning contest, Luke Bessette (0-1) got the starting assignment for Haverford as he locked horns with Mack McKisson. Each hurler swapped scoreless frames through the first two innings before Cabrini scored a pair in the third. The Fords loaded the bases in the first three innings, but could not punch a run home as McKisson worked craftily to escape the jams.
Starting catcher Earl Kochel and shortstop Gil Peralta launched solo homers off Bessette in the third, and suddenly the Fords found themselves in an early hole. The Cavaliers grabbed what turned out to be the crucial insurance run in the fourth without the benefit of an RBI. After two walks and a Haverford error, Jon Sepe hit into a double play with the bases loaded to plate a run.
In relief of Bessette, senior Eric Kopczynski proved why he is such a valuable multi-inning relief arm for the Fords, surrendering just two hits and striking out seven of his 15 batters faced to keep Haverford right in the contest.
Haverford looked caught off guard in the first two innings of work from reliever Brian Dino, who struck out seven in his three-inning save. The ninth inning was a chance for some late-inning Haverford heroics to shine through as Kyle Beach reached on an error to lead off the inning ahead of a single from Luke Smith and a single from Becker. Anthony Runfola then beat out a double-play grounder, plating pinch runner Genth. Landry punched a single through the right side of the infield, putting the tying run in scoring position and pulling the Fords to within just one.
Dino found his element one last time as he was locked in a battle with Buck. Buck fouled off pitches, putting the pitcher ahead 0-2 in the count as he was able to fire a strike three past the reach of Buck to seal the doubleheader sweep for Cabrini.
In another contest that saw station-to-station rallies prove to be the thorn in Haverford's side, four different hitters notched multiple singles.
The Fords hop right back into non-conference action with a pair of early week contests next week, taking on Rowan on Monday at home (3:30 p.m.) before a Tuesday contest against Immaculata (3 p.m.). The week wraps up with a trip to TCNJ on Thursday (March 24) and Alvernia for a doubleheader on Saturday (March 26).
