WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - For a Swarthmore College baseball team (3-3) that prides itself on getting contributions from players both young and old, Sunday's doubleheader against the Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets (1-3) was the perfect example of why. After suffering a 15-8 loss in game one, the Garnet got huge performances from senior pitcher Sean Mangus, junior first baseman Nicko Burnett, and freshman infielder John Lim to bounce back and earn a hard-fought 9-8 victory in game two. The win was the team's third in its first two days playing in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

Game 1: Waynesburg 15, Swarthmore 8

Plagued by a slow start in the morning matchup, the Garnet found themselves down early against a Yellow Jackets team that got off the bus ready to swing the bats. Waynesburg plated three in the top of the first on RBI hits by Nick Berdine and Bobby Hartman and never looked back, adding four more runs in the third, three in the fourth, and two in the fifth to open up a 12-0 lead through four and a half innings of play.

The Garnet battled back to score six runs in the bottom of the fifth when David Wolfson, Sean Bryant, Scoop Ruxin, Oscar Leong, and Danny McMahon each knocked home a run, but could get no closer as Waynesburg added three more in the top of the seventh inning to seal the win.

Game 2: Swarthmore 9, Waynesburg 8

Game two saw Swarthmore jump out on top first thanks to a two-out double by Nicko Burnett, a base hit by sophomore Joe Rizzo that advanced Burnett to third, and then a passed ball that allowed Burnett to score. In the second, Kwilos' two-run double and Rory McTear's RBI groundout brought home three more Garnet runs, as Swarthmore took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the second. There, Wayneburg would get two runs back on RBI knocks by Kyle Sasala and Clay Roman before plating five more in the fourth to move ahead, 7-4.

In the sixth, the Garnet responded with senior Sean Bryant leading off with a pinch-hit single to right center before advancing into scoring position by stealing second base. John Lim followed with a single through the left side to move Bryant to third, Kwilos drew a walk to load the bases, then Bryant advanced home on a wild pitch to put the Garnet on the board in the frame. Two batters later, Nicko Burnett came through in a big way, lacing a line drive triple - his fourth hit of the game - into right to plate Lim and Kwilos and once again gave Swarthmore the lead. Scoop Ruxin's RBI single with two outs would add an insurance run, and the two teams would head into the bottom of the inning with the Garnet leading 9-7.

However, Wayneburg's offense was not done. A leadoff triple by Nick Berdine - one of six hits he had on the day - and an RBI single by Bobby Hartman cut Swarthmore's lead to one before the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with one away. Garnet senior relief pitcher Sean Mangus was then able to induce a groundball for freshman third baseman John Lim, who swiftly gathered it up, fired home to Joe Rizzo, and then watched as his catcher threw on to first to complete the inning-ending double play.

After a 1-2-3 Swarthmore seventh, Mangus closed the door on the Wayneburg offense to give the Garnet (3-3) its third win and the Jackets (1-3) their third loss of the season.

Speaking after the game, Mangus praised his younger teammates' ability to compete under pressure.

"We're a very young team, and so when young guys make plays it fires everybody up. Being on the mound knowing that young guys like [Lim] will make plays behind me, it gives me so much confidence that they can stop anything and I know it gives the other guys confidence, too."

The Garnet will try to keep things rolling on Monday, when it take on New Jersey City University in day three of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

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