SWARTHMORE, Pa.–Seven runs over the first three innings were enough as the Swarthmore College baseball team (15-4) won by a 7-3 score over the Gwynedd Mercy Griffins (9-6) on Wednesday, March 24.
Freshman
Noah Linhart improved to 2-0 with two hits allowed and one earned run over seven innings. Sophomore third baseman
Cal Barnett-Mayotte finished the afternoon with two hits and was solid on defense with two putouts and seven assists at the hot corner.
The Griffins struck first with an early run and threatened with a man on first and second with no outs. A 6-4-3 double play by the Garnet defense mitigated the danger and Linhart ended the inning by inducing a groundout to short.
In the bottom of the first, Swarthmore took the lead with three runs of its own.
Wesley Fishburn was hit by a pitch and scored soon after on
Ryan Burnett's double to left field.
Roy Walker drove in Burnett with a double of his own and crossed the plate courtesy of a wild pitch, one of six on the afternoon by opposing pitcher Zach Dennis.
Linhart settled in and retired the side in order during the second. The Garnet offense provided two more runs in support, taking advantage of an error and another wild pitch to tack runs on the board. The Griffins shrank their deficit to two with a two-run homer in the third, but Swarthmore responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame.
Joseph Jackson led off with a single and scored on
Charles Levitt's triple to right. Levitt reached home on another dirtball to provide the final 7-3 margin.
The baseball team remains at home for a nonconference game against nonconference opponent Penn State Brandywine on Thursday, March 24 at 3:30 p.m.
