LANCASTER, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team (12-9, 1-3 CC) saw its comeback bid fall just short against Franklin & Marshall (16-10, 2-2 CC), dropping an 8–7 decision at Penn Medicine Park, home of the Atlantic League's Lancaster Stormers.
Sam Cohen got the start for the Fords and delivered a solid outing, moving to 99 career strikeouts after retiring seven batters via the K on Friday. He pitched five innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs. Dan Galef matched the effort with six frames, striking out eight while giving up nine hits to pick up the win for the Diplomats.
Harry Genth doubled with one out in the first, extending his hit streak to 19 games, but was stranded as Galef pitched out of the jam.
Haverford broke through in the third. Jackson Sgro led off with a single, followed by another base hit from Luke Treese to put runners at the corners. Daniel Rosman laid down a bunt and reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Sgro for the game's opening run.
With one down, Anthony Runfola singled to load the bases, and Jack Wallis delivered a two-run double off the wall, plating Treese and Rosman to give the Fords a 3–0 advantage.
Franklin & Marshall responded in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with one out. Bobby Falese punched a two-RBI single through the left side to cut the deficit to one. Cohen rebounded with a pair of strikeouts to strand the tying run and send Haverford back to the plate with a 3–2 lead.
The Fords added another in the fourth as Rosman singled home Sgro, who had reached on a leadoff single and advanced on a double by Treese.
The Diplomats trimmed the lead to 4–3 with a Matt Hollender RBI single, then surged ahead in the sixth against reliever Adam Naegelen. RBI singles from Nick Lorenzo and Falese highlighted a four-run frame that gave F&M a 7–4 lead. An insurance run off the bat of Nolan McCloskey in the seventh extended the advantage to 8–4.
The Fords were held scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings by the Diplomats' bullpen duo of Shane Rebane and Sebastian Holl.
However, Haverford mounted a furious rally in the ninth. Genth led off with a single through the left side, and both Runfola and Wallis were hit by Holl pitches to load the bases. Genth scored on a wild pitch before Matt Dahl singled to bring the Fords within two.
Franklin & Marshall turned to reliever Bijan Anvar, and Chuck Norton greeted him with a single up the middle to trim the deficit to 8–7. Pinch hitter Mauro DeCillis laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners. With the tying run on third, Sgro hit into a tough-luck fielder's choice that nabbed Dahl at the plate. Treese was then called out on strikes as the Diplomats hung on for the win, with the save credited to Anvar.
Norton finished with a three-hit day, while Genth, Sgro, and Treese each collected two hits. Genth also drew two intentional walks.
Haverford's bullpen was bolstered by strong relief efforts from Drew Doyle and Alex Jenkinson, who combined for 2.2 innings, allowing two runs and striking out two.
The Fords will look to bounce back in Saturday's pivotal Centennial Conference doubleheader against No. 13 Gettysburg, with Game 1 set for a noon first pitch. Haverford will also host its annual Green Out Game for Mental Health Awareness in partnership with The Hidden Opponent. Fans are encouraged to wear green in support of student mental health as the team continues its push through conference play.