WESTMINSTER, Md. – The Haverford College baseball team (11-8, 0-2 CC) was defeated in a Centennial Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Preston Field on the campus of McDaniel College (11-1-1, 2-0 CC). The Fords fell 11-7 in the first game before the Green Terror posted a walk-off victory in the second game, 5-4.
Seniors Chuck Norton (5-for-9, double) and Harry Genth (4-for-10, two doubles, five RBI) had standout performances at the plate for Haverford, while the pitching staff logged 15 strikeouts in 16.2 innings across the two contests. Norton's five-hit day in Game 1 matched the program's single-game record.
Game 1: McDaniel 11, Haverford 7
In the Centennial Conference opener, McDaniel got off to a strong start, scoring the first 10 runs of the contest to jump out to a 10-0 lead by the fourth inning. Ben Davis was key in that stretch, hitting an RBI double in the first frame and a two-run homer in the fourth.
Undeterred, the Fords responded offensively, cutting into the deficit. With one out, Jack Wallis doubled to right center, and Matt Dahl walked ahead of Norton's single that brought Haverford's first run of the game. Jackson Sgro then singled, setting up a two-RBI single from Luke Treese, as the Fords trimmed the lead to 11-3 in the top of the sixth. Kyle Carl homered for McDaniel in the bottom of the inning, but Haverford continued to chip away in the eighth.
Dahl led off the eighth with a single and advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch. Norton followed with a single to right, putting runners on the corners. Sgro walked, and with two outs, Daniel Rosman was hit by a pitch. Genth then delivered the big hit, clearing the bases with a three-run double into the gap, bringing the Fords within four at 11-7.
Norton added another hit in the ninth, but McDaniel's Conor Henderson worked around the baserunner to seal the win. Jake Young earned the victory for McDaniel in a bullpen game, scattering three hits over three innings while striking out two. Colin Lewis was solid in relief for Haverford, striking out six and allowing three hits in 3.1 innings.
Game 2: McDaniel 5, Haverford 4
In the second game, Haverford struck first against McDaniel's Brady Harach. Rosman walked and Genth doubled, setting up a sacrifice fly from Runfola. The Fords added two more in the second, with Sgro getting hit by a pitch, followed by a single from Treese and a walk to Rosman. Genth greeted new pitcher Tyson Nercessia with a single through the left side, giving Haverford a 3-0 lead.
McDaniel tied the score in the second against Haverford's Jack Couture. Davis walked, and DJ Stolba doubled into the gap, ahead of an RBI groundout from Matt Fuller. Cameron Simon later walked and advanced to scoring position on a balk before Thomas Mezullo lifted a sacrifice fly to score Stolba. An error allowed Simon to score, tying the game at 3-3. Davis then gave McDaniel the lead in the fourth with an RBI single to center. Haverford answered in the bottom of the fourth when Treese walked with one out, and Rosman attempted a sacrifice bunt that advanced Treese. A throwing error allowed Treese to come all the way around to score, tying the game at 4-4.
The teams exchanged scoreless frames until the ninth. Couture went 5.2 innings, striking out three, and Sam Cohen was electric in relief, retiring eight consecutive batters. However, McDaniel mounted a two-out rally to complete the sweep. With two outs, Mezullo singled, and Carl walked. Joey Hubinger then won the battle with Cohen, delivering a bloop single into the left-center field gap to end the game.
Haverford scattered six hits and had runners in scoring position in the ninth, but Henderson emerged again for McDaniel to work out of trouble and seal the victory.
Haverford returns to Centennial Conference action on Tuesday against Franklin & Marshall at home on Kannerstein Field. Game time is slated for 3:30 p.m. The Fords will then head to Lancaster's Penn Medicine Park, home of the Atlantic League's Lancaster Barnstormers, to complete the home-and-home series on Friday at 3:30 p.m.