FORT MYERS, Fla. – On the penultimate day of competition at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, the Haverford College baseball team (6-5) split a doubleheader with Defiance College (7-3), taking a one-run victory by prevailing 5-4 in the morning contest, before falling 6-5 in the afternoon matchup with the Yellow Jackets.
In game one, Defiance struck for a pair of runs against Haverford starter Andrew Johnson. The Fords got a run back quickly in the bottom of the first, as Will Karp walked and stole both second and third. Luke Wallis roped an RBI single to plate the senior, cutting the Defiance lead to just one. After an insurance run for the Yellow Jackets in the top of the third, Haverford went back to work offensively with a rally in its half of third. Wallis doubled with one down, and Owen Plambeck continued his scorching week with another double into the gap. Zach Becker then contributed a sacrifice fly, trimming the Haverford deficit to just one at 3-2.
Harrison Burns laced a two-RBI single in the fifth to put Haverford ahead, but Defiance added a run on an error in the sixth to knot the score at 4-4. With a chance to walk off in the seventh, Zach Landry reached to begin the inning with a double, and promptly moved to third on a Wallis flyout. Defiance hurler Jack Powell craftily worked out of trouble, sending the game to an extra frame.
Brandon Jenkins (1-0) held the Yellow Jackets at bay on the hill, as he struck out five batters in just 2.2 innings pitched to secure the win. With the game tied in extras, Jenkins posted a perfect inning sending the Fords back to the bats with a chance to win in the bottom of the eighth. Burns reached on a fielding error, and became the spark for a two-out rally. With two down, Karp singled through the left side, and Grant Schwartz then stepped up as a pinch hitter. Schwartz delivered in a major way for the Fords, lacing a double into right for a walk-off win. The Fords kept up the offensive outburst that has characterized this year's trip to Florida, as they knocked four extra-base hits in game one. Haverford also stole five bases, with Karp leading the way with a pair.
Game two was another tight battle as it was Defiance who struck for early runs, posting a five-run second inning. The Fords added a single run in the third against Jon Brown as the parade of doubles continued with Karp and Landry knocking back-to-back two-baggers to plate a run.
Haverford cut into the lead further in the fifth, with Grant Schwartz adding a two-RBI single before Ben Somorjai knocked in a run with a single of his own off Grant Curavo. Defiance added an insurance run on a double with two on in the fifth, but the trail runner was thrown out trying to score as Plambeck teamed up with Karp and Somorjai for a perfectly placed relay to keep the contest at a two-run game.
The doubles trend continued for the Fords as Karp doubled with one down in the sixth and Luke Smith then added a two-out RBI double, trimming the Defiance lead to just one. Zac Brasen was a standout to earn the save for the Yellow Jackets, delivering a perfect seventh frame to seal the win for Defiance.
Lucas Greenbaum struck out five on the mound for the Fords, as he saw the bulk of innings after first year August Williams got the starting assignment. Karp, Landry, Smith, Somorjai, and Schwartz all had multi-hit games on the offensive side for Haverford, while Karp added to his steals total yet again in the second contest, swiping a pair.
The Fords now wrap up the spring break slate with a single game against Plymouth State on Saturday. The contest, which is scheduled for a 9 a.m. first pitch, has recently been relocated to the Player Development Complex Field 3 in Fort Myers.