North Charlotte, Fla. – Swarthmore College Baseball evened the week series with La Roche University with a 7-5 victory on Tuesday. The Garnet (7-2), who served as the home team for this neutral site game, move to 4-2 on the spring break trip, while the Red Hawks drop to 1-4.
The top of the first inning saw the Red Hawks take a 1-0 lead as Jason Swope doubled to right field.
Luke Mutz started the bottom half of the second inning with an infield single. On an 0-1 pitch, Mutz moved into scoring position on a stolen base. A few pitches later, the sophomore advanced another ninety feet on a wild pitch.
Holden Bridge tied the game at one with RBI hit over the third base bag. The senior outfielder moved to second as
Cole Beeker grounded out to second base. Looking to score Bridge from second base,
Jared Gillen roped a single through the right side. The base knock was unable to score Bridge as the throw by the right fielder Tristan Tinney held him ninety feet away. Gillen stole second base to take the force at second base out of play for
Josh Bein. The first year lefty knocked in the second run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center field.
In the bottom of the second with one out,
Emmet Reynolds roped his second triple in as many days. The next batter, Mutz, roped an RBI single up the middle to add another run for Swarthmore. The second baseman scored all the way first on RBI double by Beeker to deep right center field. A two-out single by Gillen knocked in Beeker from second base, as the Garnet took a 5-1 lead.
The Red Hawks added three runs in the top of the fourth to get within a run of the Garnet.
After battling to a full-count, Beeker worked a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh. The senior moved over to third base on a double by Gillen to deep center field. With no outs and Being at the plate, Beeker scored and Gillen moved to third on a passed ball. La Roche earned one of those runs back in the top of the eighth inning.
One out with runners on the corners, Bridge knocks Bein in on a fielder's choice. To lead off the top of the ninth, Mutz made a fantastic catch on a line-drive by Tyler Simpson for the first out. Ryan Lynn grounded out on a pitch by
William Line to end the game.
After allowing four hits and four runs in 3.2 innings of work,
Matthew Loomis earned his third victory of the season.
Adam Schauer recorded 1.1 innings of scoreless work on the mound.
Alex Schoessler added three innings of work, allowing two hits, one run and struck out three.
Swarthmore and La Roche will battle each other again on Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. The Garnet will take on its third nationally ranked opponent this week in #21 College of Wooster at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
