LANCASTER, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team (18-13, 8-6 CC) split a Centennial Conference doubleheader at Franklin & Marshall (16-17, 8-5 CC) on Saturday afternoon at Caplan Field, prevailing 7-3 in game one before Franklin & Marshall responded with a 15-5 win in seven innings in the second game to salvage a split.
Game 1: Haverford 7, Franklin & Marshall 3
In game one, Haverford added early runs to support Mike Rabayda on the hill. Daniel Rosman was hit by a pitch, and Chuck Norton singled to left-center with one out. Jack Wallis then reached on an error that plated a pair of runs, giving the Fords an early 2-0 lead against Kiernan Keller.
Rabayda evaded first-inning runs despite the first three runners reaching in the bottom of the first. Spencer Berson doubled, and Bobby Falese singled, but each was thrown out on the basepaths before Michael von Zuben delivered a single to center that was stranded.
The Diplomats tagged Rabayda for two runs in the bottom of the third. Matt Hollender doubled and advanced to third on a groundout before Berson delivered a sacrifice fly. Von Zuben and Jakob Hoffman singled through the infield to plate a pair of runs, tying the game 2-2.
Kendrick Curry II continued a torrid week with another home run, this time to right field, for a 3-2 lead. Genth then followed with a round-tripper later in the inning after Rosman singled, and suddenly, Haverford had staked a 5-2 lead.
Rabayda worked around a one-out single in the fourth and sent the Diplomats packing in order in the fifth with a strikeout of Berson.
Scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh helped Rabayda finish with seven innings pitched, allowing nine hits and two earned runs while striking out six. Drew Doyle got the final two innings, allowing a run in the ninth inning while striking out three.
Haverford pushed a run across on a walk and two wild pitches in the sixth, and Mauro DeCillis singled in the ninth inning for the seventh run of the contest.
Rosman was the only Haverford hitter with a multi-hit game as Curry and Genth provided the power. Despite the loss, five different Diplomats hitters had a pair of hits, with doubles from Berson and Hollender.
Game 2: Franklin & Marshall 15, Haverford 5 (7 innings)
Game two was characterized by 12 runs in the first two innings. Haverford jumped on some early opportunities in the top of the first against Peter Mullen. Rosman walked, Genth was hit by a pitch, and Norton walked to set the stage for Kyle Beach, who lifted a short liner to right field that was dropped, allowing two to score. Franklin & Marshall then went to work in the bottom of the inning, notching a four-spot against Haverford starting pitcher Wyatt Mattison.
With one out, Bobby Falese singled, and Von Zuben then singled up the middle. Drew Butera delivered a single up the middle to plate a run, and after Andrew Filippelli walked with the bases loaded, Evan Varga lifted a single into left field to plate a pair.
The Diplomats added six more in the second inning, with a Hoffman triple serving as a prelude to six consecutive F&M hitters reaching safely. When all was said and done in the frame, the hosts had a 10-2 advantage.
F&M added a run in the fifth before Haverford pushed across two in the top of the sixth inning. Jonny Flieder walked, and Curry singled through the right side. Curry then stole second, and DeCillis was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rosman walked with the bases loaded, and Genth delivered an RBI groundout as the Fords trimmed the lead to 11-4.
Hoffman doubled as part of a three-run Diplomat sixth, but Haverford fended off the run-rule in the top of the seventh with a rally. Wallis reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, and Flieder then walked. With two down, Matt Dahl delivered a single into right field, keeping the game alive with the Fords within nine.
The hosts rallied to end things early in the seventh as the Diplomats loaded the bases with no outs. Falese fouled out for out number one, and Von Zuben hit into a fielder's choice that cut down a runner at home. Hoffman came to the dish and coaxed a walk, allowing the Diplomats to take a 10-run lead, ending the contest after seven.
Hoffman went 3-for-5 with four RBI for the Diplomats, finishing a home run shy of the cycle. Peter Mullen turned in 5.1 innings pitched to pick up the win, allowing just one hit but walking 7 and hitting three batters. He also struck out 7 Fords.
Haverford, currently sitting fifth in the Centennial Conference standings, now enters the crucial final week of the regular season with a pair of matchups against rival Swarthmore on the docket Tuesday and Friday, serving as a prelude to a final Saturday doubleheader against Gettysburg at Kannerstein Field.