Wiley Sends Shoremen Back, Back, Back to the Wall
CHESTERTOWN, Md. -- The Swarthmore baseball team used a home run by junior Wiley Archibald to end its 11-game losing streak with a 9-8 Centennial Conference win over Washington College Thursday afternoon at Athey Baseball Park.
Swarthmore (9-17, 1-8 CC) picked-up its first win in Chestertown since a 16-6 victory on April 16th, 2004. The Washington Shoremen fell to a 9-12 overall and 3-6 Conference record.
The Garnet were led by Archibald (Berkley Calif. / The College Prep School) who went 3-for-4 on the day with his first collegiate home run. Also swinging the bat for Swarthmore was freshman designated hitter Miles Santo (Middletown, N.J. / Middletown South) who had three hits in four trips to the plate on the afternoon.
Right off the bat, Swarthmore drove in a run with a single to right by freshman Matt Lamb (Pacific Palisades, Calif. / Loyola). The hit sent classmate Mike Waterhouse (Weston, Conn. / Weston) across the plate for his 24th run of the season.
The top of the second inning was a successful one for the Garnet, who collected three runs off of two hits. Santo was sent to first after being hit by a pitch and was advanced to second off a Waterhouse single to right field. Archibald then hit a home run down the right field line that was good for three RBIs and a 4-0 lead.
Swarthmore scored two runs extending their lead to 6-0. with two outs in the third inning. Sophomore center fielder Ben Schneiderman (Easton, Pa. / Easton) was walked, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Shoreman catcher. With his first hit of the afternoon, senior Conor Casey (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) singled to right field to send Schneiderman across the plate. Santo singled and advanced on a fielding error but was caught at third for the last out in the inning after Casey posted the second run of the inning.
After being shutout for the first three innings, Washington finally got on the board following a Ben Keaton solo home run down the right field line. The Shoreman scored two additional runs in the fifth and sixth to come within two runs of the Garnet, 6-4.
Swarthmore posted their three final runs in the top of the eighth inning. Waterhouse bunted to the Shoremen pitcher who overthrew the ball to send Waterhouse in scoring position on second base. Archibald singled to right field for a base hit to put Waterhouse on third. A sacrifice fly to right field by freshman Anthony Montablano (Edison, N.J. / Johns P. Stevens) sent Waterhouse a cross the plate. Archibald stole second and advanced to score an unearned run off a Shoremen throwing error. Freshman infielder Spencer Ross (Chappaqua, N.Y. / Horace Greeley) notched his ninth double of the season to send Lamb home, pushing the score to 9-4.
The Shoremen scored four runs in their final at bats but Garnet sophomore Neil Mejia (Oak Park, Ill. / Oak Park & River Forest) shut the door for his second save of the season.
Freshman Kyle Crawford (2-4) (Mississugo, Ontario / Cawthra Park School) started on the mound for Swarthmore, not allowing any runs his first three innings. He struck out four batters in his five innings for the win.
The Garnet will return to baseball action when they close-up the year’s two-game series with long-time rival Haverford College on Friday, April 10th. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
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