Garnet Baseball Playoff Run Ends in a Wild 18-11 Loss to Haverford
BALTIMORE, Md. - The Garnet baseball team (20-18) made a wild, late inning comeback but were unable to hold the Haverford Fords (24-15) in the ninth, losing 18-11 to end Swarthmore's historic season.
Sophomore Mike Waterhouse was the keystone of the Garnet offense going five-for-five at the plate with two home runs, four RBI's and four run's scored.
Waterhouse went 9-for-10 with six RBIs and scored five runs in Swat's two games on Saturday.
Haverford would strike first in the game with three quick runs in the top of the first but Waterhouse would answer in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot over the left field fence, his first of the game.
Swarthmore dug itself a hole in the fifth inning when the Fords would pull away with seven runs to give them a 10-1 lead. Just when it seemed to be the end of the Garnet would climb back to within three runs over the next three innings.
In the bottom of the fifth sophomore Thomas Nakamura would score Swat's second run of the game on a wild pitch followed by an RBI single from sophomore Anthony Montalbano, plating Waterhouse.
Nakamura would come through for Swarthmore in the sixth inning with a two-run home run to left center to keep the Garnet in the game.
In the seventh inning, Swat would plate two more runs thanks to a two-RBI single up the middle from senior Jimmy Gill, putting the Garnet within three of the Fords, 10-7.
Waterhouse would tie up the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with his second home run of the game, this time with two runners on base.
After scoring runs in four straight innings, it looked as though the momentum was in Swat's favor going into the ninth inning but Haverford had other plans. The Fords would load the bases with a walk and two hits with only one out before Alex Hudak would step up to hit a grand slam over the right field fence, putting the comeback victory out of reach for the Garnet.
Waterhouse went 9-for-10 with six RBIs and scored five runs in Swat's two games on Saturday.
Despite the loss, the 2010 Garnet still completed one of the best seasons in program history. The historic year saw the Garnet make the Centennial Conference playoffs for the first time in school history, while the team's 20-18 record also marks the program's most wins in a season in 25 years.