SWARTHMORE, Pa.–Playing in the home opener of its 2017 campaign, the Swarthmore College baseball team fell by a 6-5 score to the visiting Widener University Pride (9-5) on Tuesday, March 21.

Entering the ninth inning, the Garnet trailed by two and then trimmed their deficit to one with a bases-loaded sac fly by AJ Liu that scored Jaron Shrock. With the tying run on third and the winning run also in scoring position, Swarthmore was unable to match the Pride and fell to 6-9 overall on the year.

Conor Elliott and Jared Gillen each hit solo home runs, their first of the year, and Elliott finished 3-of-4 with two runs and two RBIs. He is now hitting .412 on the season with 21 hits and 12 RBIs.

Matt Palmer and Ryan Burnett also finished with a pair of hits while Liu had a hit, a run and an RBI.

Swarthmore took an early lead after one inning and doubled up with Gillen's homer in the fourth. Widener, however, put three runs on the board in the fifth and threatened to add more with the bases loaded and only one out. Starter Sawyer Lake struck out the next batter and Gillen made an impressive catch in right to minimize the damage and end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Elliott tied the game up with a his first career home run, a leadoff shot to left field. Widener built a 5-3 advantage after two dropped third strikes in the seventh prolonged the inning.

The resolute Garnet brought it back within one as Palmer singled in Elliott with a pop fly that dropped between three Widener fielders before made it 6-4 in the ninth.

Swarthmore remains at home for a nonconference game against Gwynedd Mercy on Thursday, March 23 at 3:30 p.m.