HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team (11-4) split a non-conference doubleheader with No. 8 Salisbury (14-4) on Saturday afternoon at Kannerstein Field, taking the first game with a dramatic walk-off win, 6-5, before the Sea Gulls held off the Fords 8-5 in the second contest.
Across the two games, Haverford tallied 16 hits, including five home runs. Jackson Sgro hit two, while Harry Genth added his fourth of the week and eighth of the season. Chuck Norton and Matt Dahl also homered in the doubleheader.
Game 1: Haverford 6, #8 Salisbury 5
Senior Chuck Norton delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to cap off the thrilling opener, improving the Fords' record to 11-3. Salisbury struck first, plating two runs in the opening inning. Andrew Kell led off with a walk before Danny Sheeler doubled to left-center. A groundout by Dylan Winebrenner brought home Kell, and Nate Burroughs added another RBI groundout for an early 2-0 lead.
The visitors extended their advantage to 3-0 in the fourth when Max Ehrhardt's single down the right-field line drove in Jackson Inman, who had reached on an error.
Haverford was held scoreless until the fifth but capitalized on timely hitting and a balk to even the score. Jonny Flieder's RBI single put the Fords on the board, scoring Jack Wallis. Moments later, a balk brought Matt Dahl home from third, and Norton followed with a single to right to drive in Flieder, tying the game at 3-3.
The Fords took their first lead in the seventh when Norton launched a solo home run, making it 4-3. However, Salisbury responded in the eighth against Drew Doyle. With two on, Inman roped a double to left-center, plating two runs and reclaiming the lead at 5-4.
Down to their final three outs, Haverford mounted a stellar rally in the ninth. Wallis led off with a single, and pinch-runner Mauro DeCillis advanced to third on Dahl's single. Flieder then lifted a sacrifice fly to left to tie the score, and an errant throw allowed Dahl to move to third while DeCillis scored the tying run. Norton then played the hero again, lining a single to left to bring home Dahl and seal the walk-off victory.
Doyle (3-0) earned the win in relief, throwing three innings and allowing two runs (one earned) while striking out four. Riley Grohowski started for Haverford, twirling another quality start with six strong innings, three runs allowed (two earned), and three strikeouts.
Norton led the Fords' offense, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBI, including the game-winner. Dahl added two hits and two runs, while Flieder contributed two RBI. Sheeler paced Salisbury with a 4-for-4 performance and two runs scored, while Inman drove in two. The Sea Gulls' bullpen faltered late, as Garrett Beaver (2-1) took the loss, allowing two runs in 1.1 innings.
Game 2: #8 Salisbury 8, Haverford 5
Haverford fell short in a hard-fought second game, dropping an 8-5 decision despite four home runs from its offense. A four-run seventh inning by the Sea Gulls proved to be the difference.
Salisbury struck early when Sheeler homered to right-center in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Haverford answered in the third with solo home runs from Sgro and Genth, pulling ahead 2-1.
The lead was short-lived as Salisbury struck back in the fourth against Sam Cohen. BK Wilson launched a two-run home run to left, scoring Burroughs and reclaiming the lead at 3-2. Haverford answered in the fifth as Rosman singled to center and Genth was hit by a pitch. A productive out from Runfola moved Rosman to third, and Wallis followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the score.
A pivotal seventh inning proved costly for the Fords. With the bases loaded and one out, Burroughs reached on a fielding error, allowing Trent Waire to score. Ben Anderson then walked to force in another run, and Wilson reached on another defensive miscue, bringing two more unearned runs across the plate. By the time the inning ended, Salisbury had taken control with a 7-3 lead.
Haverford fought back with another solo home run from Sgro in the bottom of the seventh to make it 7-4. In the eighth, Dahl added a homer to left-center, cutting the deficit to 7-5. However, Salisbury tacked on an insurance run in the ninth when Anderson homered to left, pushing the lead to 8-5.
The Fords were unable to mount one final comeback, going down in order in the ninth as Bryce Sterling earned the save. Shawn Rosemond (1-1) picked up the win in relief, throwing 2.1 innings and allowing two runs on two hits.
Colin Lewis (1-1) took the loss for Haverford after surrendering one run and five walks in two innings of work.
Sgro led the Fords' offense, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and two RBI. Dahl and Genth also homered, while Wallis added an RBI sacrifice fly.
Haverford now faces a busy week, with a pair of home contests leading up to the start of Centennial Conference play. The Fords take on Widener on Tuesday at Kannerstein Field (3:30 p.m.) before completing a home-and-home series with TCNJ on Thursday (3:30 p.m.). Conference play begins Saturday at McDaniel.