WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - After having the Juniata College pitching staff frustrate the Swarthmore College baseball team's (5-4) offense for seven innings in game one, Garnet junior Matt Bertuch decided to give the Eagles a taste of their own medicine in the second half of Wednesday's doubleheader from Chain of Lakes Field. The right-hander fired five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three as the Swarthmore rebounded from a 4-3 walk-off loss in game one to take the afternoon match-up 11-0. 

Game 1: Juniata 4, Swarthmore 3

The day's first contest saw Juniata pitchers Josh Green and Mario DeYulius stifle the Swarthmore offense for seven innings, allowing just three runs on nine hits while stranding six Garnet base runners in the Eagles' win. After gaining an early lead on a Joe Rizzo RBI single in the first inning, Swarthmore was held scoreless until the top of the sixth, when, trailing by two, Scoop Ruxin and Danny McMahon each pushed home a run to tie the game.

In the bottom of the seventh, though, the Eagles would break the scoring knot. Ben Mersky led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brad Medellin, and then moved over to third when Dan Gray grounded out to the Swarthmore second baseman, setting the stage for Joe Sforza. On an 0-1 pitch, Sforza pushed a single to shallow center to bring Mersky home, and give Juniata the 4-3 walk-off win.

Game 2: Swarthmore 11, Juniata 0

In the second game, Swarthmore starting pitcher Matt Bertuch set the tone early by fielding a bunt and picking off an Eagles' base runner to retire Juniata in order in the top of the first inning.

The offense took notice, building off the momentum to gather one run in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI single to left by Greg Cox before exploding for four more runs in the second, one in the third, and three in the fourth to take a 9-0 lead after four innings of play. That would prove to be plenty, as Bertuch, Matt Sharma, and Colton Aho would combine to shut out the Eagles, facing only one more hitter than the minimum while never allowing a Juniata base runner past first in the entire game.

Offensively, McMahon led the way for Swarthmore with a single, a triple, an RBI, and three runs scored, while Nick Constantino finished 0-1 with two RBIs. Bertuch earned the victory on the mound; it was the first of his Garnet career.

Swarthmore (4-5) will conclude its RussMatt Central Florida Invitational schedule tomorrow with a doubleheader against Rhode Island College, beginning at 1:30 p.m.