Streaking Garnet Rally Past Mules 6-5
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - A four-run late inning surge by the Swarthmore College baseball team (8-6, 1-0) and a game-saving play by sophomore third baseman Spencer Ross in the ninth propelled the Garnet past Muhlenberg (6-8, 0-1) 6-5 on a rainy Tuesday afternoon at Clothier Field.
The five-game winning streak is Swarthmore's longest since 1996 when the Garnet won six straight games. The victory also marks the first time Swarthmore has opened Centennial Conference play with a win since 2000.
Schneiderman drove in the winning run with an RBI single to left field.
Ross was the star for the Garnet, going three-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored at the plate while saving the game with a diving catch at third in the bottom of the ninth to seal the Garnet win.
In the eighth, after Swat loaded the bases with singles from sophomores Anthony Montalbano and Mike Cameron and a hit batter, sophomore Miles Santo capitalized with a single to right to plate the first run of the Garnet rally. The next batter, senior Jimmy Gill, belted a two-RBI single past the second baseman, tying the game 5-5 and sending the Garnet in a frenzy.
In the next at-bat, junior Ben Schneiderman plated the winning run for the Garnet, ripping a single past the shortstop with one out and two men on base.
In the top of the ninth and the game on the line, Swarthmore made a huge defensive stand to save the game.
After sophomore reliever Ingacio Rodriguez walking the leadoff batter, Swat would pick up its first out on a sacrifice bunt to the catcher. Muhlenberg's Dan Fisher would steal third on the next pitch leaving Rodriguez with a man on third and only one out. Undaunted by the play, Rodriguez would strike out the Mule's batter for the second out of the inning.
Rodriguez would walk the next batter to put runners on the corners and bring up the Berg's pinch hitter Nick Busilla. After running the count full, Busilla would rip the next pitch down the third base line - but Ross would make a diving catch and throw him out at first to end the game.
Ross would make a diving, game-ending play to cap off his three-for-three performance.
The defensive gem in the ninth wasn't the only game-changer for Ross - whose diving catch in the seventh inning with bases loaded also saved the Garnet.
The Mules would strike first in the game with a two-hit, two-run first inning. Swarthmore would rebound with a run in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single off the bat of Ross.
A four-hit, three-run third inning from Muhlenberg including a three-run homerun by Joseph DeCecilia would silence the Garnet before its eighth inning rally.
Junior Adam Koshkin picked up the win throwing a flawless eighth inning. Muhlenberg's Dan Fisher got the loss.
Gill went two-for-four with three RBIs, Montalbano went two-for-three with two runs scored and Cameron went two-for-four with a run scored.
Swat returns to the diamond tomorrow to face off against Widener for another 320 challenge match-up. The game at Widener is set to begin at 3:30.