Mighty Casey at the Bat
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Swarthmore baseball team started their spring break trip with 17-16 and 8-3 wins over SUNY-IT (0-2) during a Sunday afternoon double-header.
In the first game on a sunny afternoon, Swarthmore trailed going into the bottom of the seventh inning before scoring six runs to earn their first win of the season. With bases loaded and one out, third baseman Conor Casey ’09 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) hit a line drive up the middle for a walk-off single.
Infielder Thomas Nakamura ’10 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) led the team in hitting during the double-header: he went 6 for 9 at the plate and had five RBIs, four runs scored and a triple. Casey also went 6-9, adding hit two doubles and two RBIs, while scoring three runs. Sophomore outfielder Jimmy Gill (Lewes, Del. / Cape Henlopen) also had a big day at the dish, hitting two doubles with four runs and two RBIs.
Garnet pitcher Justin Hughes ’10 (Oakland, Calif. / International) registered his first collegiate win in the first game, giving Swarthmore two solid innings of relief. Also having a stand out day on the mound was first-year Neil Mejia (Oak Park, Ill. / Oak Park River Forest) who pitched the entire second game to earn his first college win. He allowed only five hits, one earned run and struck out five hitters.
The Garnet (1-2) continue their spring break trip on Tuesday, March 11 when they take on Cazenovia in a 10:30 double header.