LAKELAND, Fla. - Whether it was the 75-degree temperatures in Florida or the spark from an aggressive running game, the Swarthmore College baseball team's (2-2) offense ignited in a big way on Saturday, scoring a total of 27 runs on 26 hits in two 7-inning victories over University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg. The first wins of the young season came at the RussMatt Invitational opener, kicking off a nine-game slate for the Garnet.

Game 1: Swarthmore 9, Pittsburgh-Greensburg 8

Swarthmore struck first in the opener with a two-out rally that would set the tone for the early afternoon game. In the top of the second inning, after Brian Kaissi was hit by a pitch and Nick Constantino beat out an infield single, Tim Kwilos knocked Kaissi home on a liner to right to give the Garnet an early lead. The Pitt.-Greensburg (0-2) Bobcats would claw back, though, scoring one in the bottom of the second to tie the game.

In the top of the fourth, Swarthmore regained the lead when Kwilos plated Danny McMahon  and Zach Powell with his second RBI single in as many at-bats. However, in the bottom half of the frame, the Bobcats battled back with a five-run inning highlighted by RBI singles from Justin Miller and Mike Pearson. Pitt.-Greensburg would plate two more in the fifth to take an 8-3 advantage into the sixth. 

Swarthmore would respond. Taking advantage of some shaky control by the Bobcats' pitchers, the Garnet scored four in the top of the sixth on four hit-batters, two walks, and a two-run double by Scoop Ruxin. Then, in the top of the seventh, Swat would regain the lead for good when Rory McTear scored from first on a double by Nicko Burnett that put the Garnet ahead 9-8 for the victory.

Oscar Leong retired the Pittsburgh-Greensburg offense in order in the bottom of the seventh to give Swarthmore its first win of the season, and relief pitcher Nathan Booth - who allowed one run in two innings of work - the first win of his collegiate career.

Game 2: Swarthmore 18, Pittsburgh-Greensburg 9

In the late game, the Garnet offense continued where it left off, exploding for eighteen runs on eighteen hits - including eight for extra bases - en route to an 18-9 victory over the Bobcats that completed the Saturday sweep.

Tim Kwilos's three-run homer to left in the second opened the scoring for Swarthmore, but his team's twelve-run third inning would open the game after Nicko Burnett and Joe Rizzo hit back-to-back home runs to spark the rally. In the inning, nine Garnet batters collected at least one hit, while Cody Ruben and John Lim each singled twice, scored twice, and stole a bag before the third out was recorded.

Lim finished the day 3 for 4 with a steal, two runs scored, and two RBIS; Scoop Ruxin finished 2 for 2 with a run, two doubles, and two RBIs; and Greg Cox  finished 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI for the Garnet. Zach Powell - who provided the knockout punch when he doubled in Danny McMahon, stole third on the very next pitch, and then beat out a throw from the third baseman to score Swarthmore's seventh run in the third inning - finished the game 1 for 3 with two runs and a steal.

Swarthmore will take on Waynesburg University tomorrow on day two of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

@Garnet_Baseball RussMatt gogarnet @SwatAthletics