FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Haverford College baseball team (8-3) bid farewell to Southwest Florida in dramatic fashion on Saturday, rallying in the bottom of the ninth for a thrilling 7-6 walk-off victory over Dean (1-7) at Terry Park.
The win capped an explosive offensive stretch for the Fords, who scored 86 runs on 93 hits during their spring trip, including 21 doubles, three triples, and six home runs. Haverford also stole 34 bases in 38 attempts while allowing just eight.
Luke Treese led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a pair of RBI. Chuck Norton delivered the walk-off hit as part of a 2-for-4 performance, driving in two key runs. Jack Wallis continued his hot streak, reaching base five times with a 3-for-3 day and two walks.
On the mound, rookie Jack Couture kept Dean off balance, allowing just one hit over three innings while striking out three. Sam Cohen took over in relief, surrendering six runs (three earned) on eight hits across four frames. Drew Doyle earned the win with two strong innings, allowing just one hit.
Haverford struck first against Dean's Philip Curran. Anthony Runfola doubled with one out, scoring on a Wallis RBI single. The Fords added to their lead in the second, as Norton doubled and came home on a Treese double. Tommy Belman's sacrifice bunt forced a defensive miscue, allowing Treese to score. Moments later, a wild pitch set up a successful double steal, with Belman crossing the plate as Daniel Rosman swiped second.
Dean clawed back in the fourth, as Gavin Goss delivered a two-RBI single and Rylan Secovich followed with an RBI knock to make it a one-run game. Haverford responded in the fifth when Wallis singled and stole second, setting up a Treese RBI double for a 5-3 advantage.
The Bulldogs surged ahead in the seventh, tying the game after a Tyler Giambra double and a Kyler Lorenz single. Nick Amendolara's base hit, followed by a throwing error, brought in two more runs, giving Dean its first lead at 6-5.
The Fords answered in the bottom half against lefty reliever Kiefer Culligan. Runfola was hit by a pitch, and Wallis followed with a double to put two in scoring position. After a groundout, Norton lifted a sacrifice fly to bring Runfola home, tying the game at 6-6.
Doyle kept Dean off the board in the eighth, but Culligan matched him with a 1-2-3 inning. Cohen worked around a two-out single from Amendolara before Giambra moved from the middle infield and took the mound in the ninth for Dean. Harry Genth singled and stole second, prompting an intentional walk to Wallis. With two outs, Norton came through with a clutch single, plating Genth for the walk-off win and sealing a successful Florida trip for the Fords.
Haverford now returns to Pennsylvania, hosting Eastern on Tuesday, March 18, at 3:30 p.m. The Fords will play five of their next six at home before opening Centennial Conference action on March 29 at McDaniel.