HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College baseball team (21-14, 11-7 CC) split its regular season finale doubleheader with Gettysburg (16-24, 5-13 CC) on Saturday at Kannerstein Field, falling 5-4 in the first game before using single runs in four different innings to pull out a 4-2 win in the late afternoon game to head into the postseason on a winning note.
Game 1: Gettysburg 5, Haverford 4
In game one, Gettysburg struck first for single runs in the first and second innings to jump out to an early lead against Haverford hurler Alex Jenkinson. David Preziuso singled through the right side and Robert Murphy singled to left center, advancing Preziuso to third. With one out, Murphy got caught off first base, but as he was chased down by the Haverford infield, Preziuso scored the opening run of the ballgame.
In the second, Will Stellato led off the frame with a solo shot. Haverford pulled back to within one with an unconventional run in the third as Mauro DeCilis singled into left and stole second. The sophomore went to third on a grounder by Matt Dahl, and came into score on a balk.
Gettysburg grabbed an insurance run in the fourth as Emmanuel Ajewole walked and Alexy Stout then reached on an error. The pair each took a base on a double steal, and Stellato came back up to the plate and lifted a sacrifice fly for a 3-1 Gettysburg cushion.
Harry Genth lifted his ninth home run of the season deep and high into left field in the fourth, and the two sides were then scoreless into the seventh when a walk and a steal allowed Preziuso to move into scoring position. He then took third on a wild pitch by Colin Lewis, and a throwing error allowed him to scoot home for the fourth Gettysburg run of the contest.
The Fords tied the contest in the eighth with a well-timed rally. With two down, DeCillis drilled a single into right field. Matt Dahl then followed with a double into the right-center field gap, advancing DeCillis to third. Against new pitcher Tyler Lizell, Rosman notched a single through the right side of the infield, plating both DeCillis and Dahl to tie the score at 4-4.
Unfortunately for the Fords, Preziuso was able to put his stamp on the game yet again, lifting a homer to left field to lead off the ninth. In the bottom of the inning, the Fords put a runner on via a fielding error, but Lizell was able to wiggle out of trouble to secure the win for the Bullets.
DeCillis was the only Haverford hitter with multiple hits, while Rosman came up huge for two RBI. Jenkinson had a solid start with 4.1 innings pitched, allowing two earned runs while striking out five. Lewis did not allow a hit or an earned run in 2.2 innings pitched with three strikeouts while Sam Cohen also struck out three in his 1.2 innings of work before Riley Grohowski got the final out of the top of the ninth.
The top of the order did the damage for the visitors, with Preziuso and Murphy combining for seven of the nine hits for the Bullets. Stellato had the other two hits.
Game Two: Haverford 4, Gettysburg 1
In game two, it was Haverford scoring runs in each of the first two innings, this time courtesy of the long ball against Brendan Trotta. Genth roped his 10th homer of the season, pulling to within one of the program record, to open the scoring with one down in the first inning. Kyle Beach then connected on a second inning homer as the Fords were up 2-0 early.
Wyatt Mattison toed the hill for the start, and went 2.2 innings allowing just one hit while striking out two. Haverford was in the lead 2-0 entering the sixth inning before Gettysburg notched its first run of the contest.
Stellato doubled into left field, and after a sacrifice bunt moved him to third, Stout lifted a sacrifice fly. The run was the only blemish on an otherwise scoreless outing by the Haverford pitching staff.
The Fords added insurance tallies in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Luke Treese, who moved from his starting role in center field to the pitchers' mound, led off the inning with a single to center field. Genth laid down a perfectly placed bunt single, but Treese was picked off second. With two down, Genth stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Jonny Flieder walked and stole second, and Rosman was hit to load the bases. New pitcher Tex Detroyer delivered a wild pitch that plated a run for a 3-1 Haverford lead.
In the eighth, Dahl connected on a triple down the right field line, and Wallis delivered a one-out sacrifice fly to bring Dahl in to score.
Ethan Goldstein was credited with the win in relief, notching 1.1 no-hit innings with a strikeout. Aidan O'Sullivan allowed two hits and one run while striking out a batter in 2 innings of work before Treese took the hill for the final three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three for his first career save.
Treese, Genth, and Dahl each had multi-hit games while the Bullets were held to just four hits.
The Fords came into the day in a tie with Franklin & Marshall, but by virtue of the Diplomats' victory in game two over No. 8 Johns Hopkins, Franklin & Marshall has earned the four seed and hosting privileges for the Centennial Conference First Round contest on Tuesday. The contest in Lancaster is tentatively scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch.