Athletics News

SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- The Swarthmore baseball team picked up the first win with Franklin & Marshall with a score of 3-1 while falling in the second game 12-8 during the Centennial Conference Saturday afternoon doubleheader held at Clothier Fields.

Changes are in style for Swarthmore baseball in 2008. The Garnet (8-11, 2-5 CC) taking down the Diplomats (10-10, 5-1 CC), participants in three of the last four NCAA Division III tournaments, in game one keeps in line with the new Swarthmore attitude. The previous Garnet win over F&M came five years ago on March 28, 2003 when Swarthmore prevailed 5-3 right here at Clothier Fields. The new look Garnet snapped an eight-game slide to F&M, and brought an end to the Diplomats' current five-game winning streak.

Following a scoreless six innings in the first game of the afternoon. Garnet freshman Andy Eisenlohr (Lower Merion, Pa. / Lower Merion) started the scoring for Swarthmore with a single up the middle, freshman James Bernard (Philadelphia, Pa. / Friends Select) pinch ran for Eisenlohr. Third baseman Conor Casey ’09 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) also hit one up the middle for his 25^th single of the season.

Sophomore Matt Corso (Paramus, N.J. / Paramus) drilled a grounder past the diving F&M first baseman to load the bases for catcher Wiley Archibald ’10 (Berkeley, Calif. / College Prep School) (pictured right), who picked up two RBIs and advanced Corso to third with a single, putting the Garnet ahead two runs. Shortstop Thomas Nakamura ’10 (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) hit a sacrifice fly to have Corso cross the plate for his 16^th RBI of the season. Second baseman Kevin Kooi ’09 (Lafayette, Calif. / Preparatory School) ground out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Swarthmore freshman pitcher Neil Mejia (Oak Park, Ill. / Oak Park River Forest) (left)threw all seven innings for the Garnet, striking out four batters while allowing only three hits. The righty improved his pitching record to 4-2 overall.

In the second game of the afternoon, the Garnet matched a Diplomats run in first at bat when Jimmy Gill '10 (Lewes, Del. / Cape Henlopen) grounded out to the pitcher to have Dalane cross the plate making the score 1-1.

In the second inning, Archibald hit a double out to center field to bring in Corso to put the Garnet up 2-1. Corso (right) sped around the base paths all afternoon, scoring three times.

Swarthmore pushed their lead to 3-1 when Dalane dropped a beautiful bunt down the first base line, advanced to second on Diplomats' throwing error and came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Gill. Gill (below) had a strong second game, going 2-for-4 with a game-high four RBIs.

The Diplomats broke open the game in the fourth, scoring seven runs to make the score 8-3.

Swarthmore freshman Adam Koshkin (Oakland, Calif. / Head Royce School) took the loss in the second game. Freshman Andy Allen (Manchester, Maine / St. Dominic) pitched two solid innings in relief for the Garnet with two strike outs and Scheiderman finished the final three innings on the mound with three strike outs, allowing only one hit.

The Garnet will return to Clothier Fields on Tuesday, April 8 to host Centennial Conference-foe Muhlenberg College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Click here for game one FULL BOX.
Click here for game two FULL BOX.

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 5th, 2008 at 6:52 pm and is filed under Baseball. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.