LEXINGTON, S.C. – The Swarthmore College baseball team pulled out a pair of one-run victories in South Carolina on Monday night. The Garnet held off Case Western Reserve University, 9-8, before erasing deficits of six then two runs to defeat Oswego State, 12-11.
Matthew Silvestre had the big hit of the evening, smashing a go-ahead three-run homer to give Swarthmore the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth versus Oswego. The junior went 3-for-7 on the day with a double, a home run, two walks, five RBI, and three runs.
Aidan Sullivan had another standout day at the plate, going 5-for-7 with a double, a home run, three walks, five RBI, three runs, and a stolen base.
Max Roffwarg batted .556 (5-for-9) and tallied one RBI, three runs, and a stolen base.
HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. Case Western Reserve)
- The Spartans scored first with a home run in the opening frame. The Garnet took their first lead on
Wilson Henze's first collegiate homer, a two-out, three-run bomb in the second.
- CWRU regained the advantage with a three-run third, scoring on a single and a two-run double. However, the pendulum swung back to Swarthmore as
Brad Johnston drove in two with a two-out single in the bottom of the third to give the Garnet a 5-4 lead.
- Another two-out run came in for Swarthmore in the fourth off the bat of Roffwarg. Sullivan padded the Garnet's cushion with a three-run shot to right center in the seventh, making it 9-4. It was his first homer of the year.
- The Spartans tried to rally late, pushing across three runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly and a two-run homer. CWRU led off the ninth with a long ball to get within one (9-8). After two batters were retired, a walk put the tying run aboard but
Steven Jungers came through with a strikeout to preserve the victory.
GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Hits: Roffwarg 4
Runs:
Kaiden Rosenbaum,
Xavier Taylor 2
RBI: Sullivan, Henze 3
Stolen Bases: Roffwarg, Rosenbaum 1
HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. Oswego State)
- Swarthmore took a 1-0 lead in the first on a sac fly by Silvestre. The Lakers scored a run in both the second and third to go in front then added two in the fourth to make it 4-1.
- Oswego took advantage of Garnet mistakes in the sixth, bringing in a run on a wild pitch and two more on an error to increase the margin to six (7-1).
- After coming up empty for four straight innings, the Swarthmore offense went off for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to go ahead, 9-7. Sullivan started off the inning with a double then scored on Silvestre's two-bagger.
Benjamin Buchman drew a walk and Johnston recorded a single to load the bases.
Max Beadling singled in a pair then Rosenbaum walked to load the bases again.
Sam Marco forced in another run with a walk before two more came in on an error to tie the game. Sullivan then put the Garnet in front with a two-run single to right.
- Oswego got off the mat and answered with three runs in the seventh to recapture the advantage. The Lakers tacked on an insurance run in the eighth to make it 11-9.
- However, the Garnet had one last rally in them in the bottom of the eighth. The first two hitters were retired but Sullivan got it going with a base hit to center. Roffwarg then reached on an error, setting the stage for Silvestre. The left fielder crushed a three-run homer to right, sending the Swarthmore dugout into a frenzy as it gained the upper hand, 12-11.
- Jungers retired Oswego in order in the ninth to earn his second save of the day.
GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Hits: Sullivan 3
Runs: Sullivan, Silvestre, Roffwarg 2
RBI: Silvestre 5
Stolen Bases: Sullivan, Buchman 1
UP NEXT
The Garnet (7-3) have a rematch with the Lakers followed by a game versus Arcadia University on Tuesday.
