Streaking Garnet Take Two From Gettysburg, 11-6 and 12-6
GETTYSBURG, Pa. - It was a doubles party for Swarthmore in its doubleheader from Gettysburg, as the Garnet finished the day with nine doubles as part of a 26 hit, 21 run offensive explosion, sweeping the twinbill with the Bullets 11-6 and 12-6 on Saturday afternoon from the Battlefield.
Swarthmore (15-11, 7-5) has now won three consecutive games and with 15 victories on the season, has surpassed last season's conference and overall win totals and reached its highest program win total since 1996 (17).
In the first game, the Bullets (11-14, 3-8) out-hit the Garnet 11-9, but Swat utilized its hits, as six of its nine went for extra bases as the Garnet prevailed 11-6.
McTear's three-RBI double sparked the Garnet in the first game.
Swarthmore jumped to an early 5-0 lead thanks in part to a bases-clearing double from freshman Rory McTear. Swat took a 2-0 lead and chased Gettysburg starter John Donovan from the game after recording just one out and before Swat could even record a hit - thanks in part to three walks, two wild pitches and hit batter from Donovan. But with the bases juiced, McTear made Swat's first hit count, as he brought home three runs on a double to centerfield, giving the Garnet a 5-0 lead after one inning.
Swat added to the lead in the fifth inning with the big bats of sophomores Mike Cameron and Spencer Ross. With runners on first and third with no one out, Cameron doubled down the left-field line to give Swat a 7-0 lead. Following an RBI sacrifice fly from senior Jimmy Gill, Ross brought home the final run of the inning with a double of his own, making it an 8-0 Swarthmore lead.
Gettysburg finally got into the scoring act in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but each time the Bullets scored, the Garnet had the answer. With the score 8-2 in the bottom of the, Swat scored two more runs thanks to a RBI doubles from sophomore Miles Santo and Cameron to make it a 10-2 game. With the lead at 10-3 in the seventh, Swat scored its final run thanks to an RBI from sophomore Mike Waterhouse.
Junior Neil Mejia (4-2) picked up his fourth victory of the season on the mound, striking out two batters over six innings while scattering eight hits. Sophomores Zach Weiner and Iggy Rodriguez combined to close out the seventh and final inning.
Pat Cody led the Gettysburg offense with four hits in the first game. Donovan (1-1) took the loss for the Bullets.
'In the second game, Swarthmore built a 7-3 lead heading into the seventh inning and appeared to be cruising towards the sweep until the
Ross finished the second game with four hits.
Bullets made a late-inning charge. Gettysburg's Mike Backus smashed a three-run, bases-loaded triple off of freshman Ramsey Walker to cut the Garnet lead to 7-6 after seven innings.
Swarthmore padded the lead with a run in the eighth inning thanks to an RBI double from sophomore Anthony Montalbano, making it a 8-6 Swarthmore lead. In the ninth, the Garnet broke the game wide open, scoring four runs thanks once again to a pair of doubles - this time from junior Ben Schneiderman and Santo - en route to the 12-6 final.
Walker (2-0) picked up the win for the Garnet, working 3.1 innings in relief of starter junior Andy Allen. Sophomore Adam Hardy picked up his first save of the season, striking out two in 2.1 innings of work.
Ross paced the Garnet with fours hits and two runs batted in in the second game, while Montalbano wasn't far behind with three hits and RBIs. Waterhouse finished with two hits and three RBIs while senior Wiley Archibald finished with three hits.
Swarthmore returns home in its push for the Centennial playoffs, battling Ursinus on Tuesday (3:30).