Garnet Hunt Down Cougars
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Swarthmore second baseman Kevin Kooi '09 went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in the 9-7 win over Misericordia on a chilly Sunday afternoon at the Clothier Fields.
Senior left fielder Scott Dalane (Vernon, N.J. / Vernon Twp.) led the Garnet (10-21) at the plate going 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs while classmate Travis Allen ’08 (Suffield, Conn. / Loomis Chaffee) went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
The Garnet batted around in the first inning scoring five runs. Dalane got things started for the Garnet with a single. Right fielder Jimmy Gill (Lewes, Del. / Cape Henlopen) reached first base after being hit by a pitch. Dalane and Gill both stole their respective bases to advance a base before third baseman Conor Casey ’09 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) reached on an error by the pitcher to and sent Dalane crossing the plate. Designated hitter Travis Allen '08 singled up the right side was good for an RBI. Catcher Ben Mendelson ’08 (Sabbatus, Maine / Lewiston) hit a fly ball over the center fielder’s head to earn a double, sending Casey, Allen and Nakamura across the plate.
Kooi (Lafayette, Calif. / Preparatory School) (pictured left) drove in Allen off a single into right field. The Garnet pushed their lead to 6-1 closing the second inning.
Following scoreless innings the Cougars 14-23-1) scored a run to make the score 6-2 in the top of the seventh.
The Garnet tallied an additional three runs in the bottom of the seventh when Kooi singled up the middle to send pinch runner Justin Hughes ’10 (Oakland, Calif. / International) passed the home plate. Dalane hit one over the center fielder’s head picking up two RBIs to send home shortstop Thomas Nakamura ’09 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) and Kooi.
In the top of the eighth the Cougars scored four runs while batting around to bring the deficit to 9-6 in favor of the Garnet and scored their final run in the ninth making the final score 9-7.
Starting on the mound for the Garnet was freshman Andy Allen (2-4) (Manchester, Maine / St. Dominic) who pitched 6.1 innings picked up the win for Swarthmore. The lefthander registered five strike outs before having to leave the game when a batted ball struck him in the face. Allen narrowly escaped serious injury, suffering a broken nose.
Garnet relief pitcher James Bernard ’11 (Philadelphia, Pa. / Friends School) entered the game for Allen in the sixth and seventh innings. Senior Justin Chen (Media, Pa. / Penncrest) pitched in the final two innings to collect the save for the Garnet.
With the win, the Garnet hit double-digits in wins for the first time since 1999.
The Garnet will host the Neumann Knights in their last game of the season tomorrow, Monday, April 28. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the Clothier Fields.
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