HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College baseball team (1-1) opened the season at home for the first time since 2002, kicking off the 2025 campaign with a seven-inning doubleheader split against visiting Arcadia (2-3). The Knights, who received votes in the D3Baseball.com preseason poll, blanked the Fords 3-0 in game one before Haverford responded with a resounding 11-2 victory in game two at Kannerstein Field.
Game 1: Arcadia 3, Haverford 0
Game one was characterized by stellar pitching on both sides. Rookie David Bertz got the start for the Fords and was enthralling despite the defeat, tallying nine strikeouts against just one walk over 5.1 innings in his collegiate debut. However, Arcadia's Will Conroy was equally dazzling, allowing just one hit and striking out five across five innings of work.
Arcadia struck first when Kevin Wheeler delivered a solo home run with two outs in the first inning. The Knights added another run in the second, as Eric Shandler singled home Griffin Murphy. Haverford threatened in the fifth when Kendrick Curry II doubled for the team's first hit after Jack Wallis was hit by a pitch, but both were left stranded. Arcadia tacked on a key insurance run in the sixth with an RBI double from Anthony Bruno. The Fords had late opportunities, as Jackson Sgro and Daniel Rosman reached base in the sixth, but reliever Mitchell Bramsway worked out of trouble. Bramsway also navigated around a pair of baserunners in the seventh to secure his first save of the season.
Game 2: Haverford 11, Arcadia 2
In game two, senior Riley Grohowski took the mound for Haverford and delivered a dominant performance after a shaky first frame from Haverford, scattering four hits and allowing just two unearned runs over six innings. He struck out five and walked two, effectively shutting down the Knights.
Arcadia struck first with two unearned runs in the opening inning, but the Fords responded in the fourth with a four-run rally against Arcadia hurler Luke Hinkle. Jonny Flieder reached on an error, Anthony Runfola was hit by a pitch, and Jack Wallis walked to load the bases. Curry drove in a run with an RBI groundout before Matt Dahl laced a double into left-center to plate two more. Luke Treese followed with a walk, and Sgro's bunt single brought home another run to give Haverford a 4-2 lead.
The Fords blew the game open in the sixth, scoring seven times and turning the lineup over. With one out, Treese singled and stole second. Sgro then launched his first collegiate home run, a towering blast to left field. Rosman, Genth, and Miles Prusek followed with consecutive walks before Norton singled through the left side to plate two more. Jack Wallis then drilled a three-run homer to right-center, connecting to one of the deepest parts of the park and extending the lead. The inning continued as Curry was hit by a pitch, Dahl singled, and Sgro walked, but Arcadia finally managed to escape further damage.
Sam Cohen took over in relief of Grohowski and worked around a pair of baserunners to seal Haverford's first win of the season. Sgro had two hits while playing shortstop in his debut, matching Wallis with a team-high three RBIs.
The Fords will return to action on Tuesday, March 4, traveling to TCNJ for a 3 p.m. first pitch against the Lions in Ewing, N.J., their final game before the spring break trip to Fort Myers, Fla.