Mules Down Garnet in 10
Swarthmore staged another improbable comeback in the top of the ninth, but a miscue in the field gave Muhlenberg the opening they were looking for, sending the Garnet to a 3-2 defeat in 10 innings on Wednesday afternoon in Allentown, Pa.
With Swarthmore behind 2-0 and down to their final out, co-captain Jody Fisher '05 was hit by a 2-2 pitch from Mules lefty Gregg Burkhart. Second baseman Patrick Christmas '08 immediately doubled to right field, driving home Fisher all the way from first. Third baseman Justin Chen '08 followed with a single to right field, allowing pinch runner Jacob Anguiano '07 to score the tying run. Noah Cooper-Harris '07 reached on error by the Muhlenberg shortstop, moving Chen up to second base. The Mules brought in reliever Aaron Regensberg who induced Sam Faeder '07 into a ground ball out to end the Garnet ninth.
Co-captain Jared Leiderman '05, having allowed only five Muhlenberg (9-3, 1-0 CC) hits thus far, returned to the mound in the bottom of the ninth to face the heart of the Mules line-up. The lanky right-hander set down the 2-3-4 hitters down quietly, striking out two batters in the process.
Regensburg struck out Matt Fisher '08 and retired Scott Dalane '08 on a ground out for two quick outs in the top of the tenth. Catcher Travis Allen '08 cracked a two-out double into right field, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position. Regensburg had other ideas, quietly retiring Ian Adelstein '07 on a chopper to second base.
Leiderman came out for the bottom of the tenth, but Swarthmore's luck would run out. Matt Tobia made it to second base on a Garnet error, putting the winning run only 180 feet from the plate. Mike Hart followed with a base hit to right field, allowing Tobia to circle third and cross the plate with the winning run.
It was the opening game of the Centennial Conference schedule for Swarthmore (2-9, 0-1 CC) and All-Conference performer Leiderman did not disappoint. The California native pitched nine-plus innings, taking the loss after allowing three unearned runs on five hits while striking out 11 Mules. Leiderman has pitched brilliantly for Swarthmore this season, posting Conference-highs in innings pitched (37.1) and strikeouts (41), lowering his ERA to 2.17 - good for sixth-best in the Centennial.
Allen, Christmas, Faeder, Chen, and Matt Fisher all had hits for Swarthmore.
The Garnet will host Muhlenberg on Friday afternoon in their next game, a 3:00 p.m. contest.