Caruso, Bears Defeat Garnet 8-2
Ursinus pitcher Rob Caruso allowed only three Swarthmore hits, two off the bat of shortstop Sam Faeder '07, as the Bears downed the Garnet 8-2 in Centennial Conference baseball at Clothier Fields on Friday afternoon.
The Bears put a run across in the top of the first when a double by Mike Ziemak and a pair of Swarthmore errors led to a 1-0 Ursinus lead.
The Garnet answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the second. Infielder Patrick Christmas '08 drew a one-out walk from Caruso, and moved up to second base on Noah Cooper-Harris' ground out. Faeder, stuck in a hitting slump, smoked a first-pitch fastball into the gap in left-center for an RBI double.
Ursinus got a unearned run in the third and then scored two more times in the fourth when Ryan Regensburg laced a two-out, two-run double off Swarthmore starter Alex Ryan-Bond '07. The Bears posted another unearned run in the sixth and added three more in the seventh, extending their lead to 8-1.
Faeder brought some life back to the Garnet in the bottom of the seventh, stroking a two-out double down the left field line. Catcher Ben Mendelson '08 followed with an RBI single to center, cutting the deficit to 8-2. Caruso escaped the inning, getting the next batter, Scott Dalane '08, to fly out to right field.
Mike Conner pitched a perfect ninth to send Ursinus (5-15-1) to a season sweep of the Garnet.
Faeder busted out of his slump, leading Swarthmore (2-12, 0-4 CC) with two doubles, a run scored, and a run driven in. Jody Fisher '05 reached base twice, drawing two walks to push his team-leading total to 11.
Caruso pitched eight innings for his second win of the season, fanning three while walking four.
Ryan-Bond suffered his fourth loss of the year, tossing seven innings while walking two.
Swarthmore returns to Clothier Field tomorrow afternoon, April 9th, playing host to the McDaniel Green Terror in a 12:30 double header.