SWARTHMORE, Pa.—Swarthmore College Baseball won its 2018 Opening Day matchup, beating the Arcadia University Knights 5-4 on a walk-off sacrifice fly on Tuesday. A shallow fly ball to right field by AJ Liu with one out in the bottom of the ninth was enough to bring home pinch runner Holden Bridge from third for the win.

Pinch hitter James Rutledge smacked a single through the left side with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Rutledge kept Arcadia's pitcher distracted while Liu worked the count at the plate. Arcadia's relief pitcher made a pickoff attempt over to first base, but his throw sailed high allowing Rutledge to reach third.

Garnet head coach subbed in Bridge to pinch run at third, and the Knights went into an aggressive five infielder shift to counter for a squeeze bunt attempt. Liu instead lofted the 3-2 pitch into right field. The ball was caught and immediately sent home, but the throw took a few hops and was off the plate allowing Bridge to slide in safely.

Swarthmore junior pitcher Ricky Conti got the win in five scores innings of relief. He only allowed one hit and a walk while striking out four batters.

The Garnet recorded eight hits in the win with eight different batters putting a check in the hit column. Liu and senior Matt Palmer notched two RBIs in the win. Palmer smacked a two-RBI double to left center in the second inning to put Swarthmore on the board, and Liu sent him home later in the inning with a double of his own to left center.

After Arcadia took a 4-3 lead in the fourth, Cole Beeker tied the game by grounding through the middle to score Charlie Levitt from third.

Swarthmore is scheduled to play Arcadia again on Friday.