LEXINGTON, SC - The Swarthmore College baseball team split against nationally-ranked Baldwin Wallace University and Case Western Reserve University on Saturday. The Garnet dropped their spring break opener to No. 16 Baldwin Wallace, 9-8, in 11 innings and then bounced back with a 9-5 victory over No. 23 Case Western Reserve.

Easton Tolson drove home four runs with a pair of two-out, two-run singles in Swarthmore's victory over the Spartans. Max Roffwarg combined for four hits with four RBI on the day. The senior shortstop had a pair of runs and two RBI in this afternoon's finale. 

Noah Potholm earned the victory for Swarthmore with seven strong innings. The junior righty improved to 2-1 on the season with 93 pitches in seven innings. 

SWARTHMORE 8, #16 BALDWIN WALLACE 9
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet made the most of consecutive walks to open the top of the first inning. Following free passes to Matthew Silvestre and Aidan Sullivan,  Roffwarg drove home both runners with a single, 2-0.

- After Baldwin Wallace hung four runs in the bottom of the first, Swarthmore got back on track with a three-run second inning. After a couple poor fielding blunders put two on for the Garnet, Sullivan made the Yellow Jackets pay with a go-ahead, three-run homer, 5-4.

- Despite the team's offensive resilience, the Garnet were unable to find a shutdown inning from their pitching staff. The Yellow Jackets answer back with a two-run double in the second to regain the lead, 6-5.

- Michelangelo Duva entered the game and provided the Garnet with a much-needed, 1-2-3 third inning. The sophomore got a pair of runners to fly out, before striking out the final batter to end the frame. Swarthmore then rewarded its pitcher with two runs in the fourth. Sullivan and Max Beadling walked to open the inning, while Nathaniel Kittredge singled to right to plate a pair of go-ahead runs, 7-6. 

- Duva was excellent out of the bullpen. The sophomore tossed three-hitless frames to settle down the staff and preserve his team's lead heading into the sixth inning. The Garnet then added on an insurance tally in the sixth with a solo homer from Benjamin Buchman, 8-6. 

- Baldwin Wallace tied the game with a run in the seventh and eighth innings. The Garnet had an opportunity to increase its lead in the top of the eighth, but had a runner thrown out at home to end the frame, 8-8. 

- Swarthmore escaped the ninth inning after nailing the potential game-winning run at home plate. Following a single to right field, Sullivan threw the ball into Zac Kahn, who caught the runner at home to keep Swarthmore alive. The Garnet then escaped another jam in the 10th inning after the first two Yellow Jacket batters reached base. 

- Baldwin Wallace eventually broke through with the walk-off score in the bottom of the 11th. The Garnet surrendered a single and a walk to open the frame, before the Yellow Jackets singled up the middle to end the game. 

GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Sullivan: 1-for-4, 3 RBI, 3 R, HR, 2 BB
Roffwarg: 2-for-5, 2 RBI

GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Duva: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 SO, 2 BB


SWARTHMORE 9, #23 Case Western Reserve 5
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Spartans took a lead in the top of the first, but it didn't last long as the Garnet countered with a crooked number in the bottom frame. Beadling brought home the first run with a single up the middle, while Roffwarg plated two more with another knock to centerfield. Tolson then capped off the big inning with a couple more on another single towards center, 5-1.

- Potholm shut down the Spartans in the second, while his offense continued to pile on. For the second-straight inning, the first two runners reached base for Swarthmore with singles from Sullivan and Beadling. Buchman then plated the first run with a sacrifice fly, while Leor Kedar was hit by a pitch to plate another run. Tolson then provided another two-run, two-out single with a knock to left field to bust the game open, 9-1. 

- Potholm continued to hang zeros on the scoreboard with three more scoreless innings. The Spartans then got a couple runs back with two runs on three hits in the sixth, 9-3. Potholm returned to the bump for the seventh inning, inducing an inning-ending double play to end a scoreless frame. 

- Case Western Reserve added a run in the eighth and ninth to pull within four. The Spartans loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Steven Jungers survived the jam with a game-ending strikeout.

GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Tolson: 2-for-4, 4 RBI
Roffwarg: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R

GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Potholm (W, 2-1) 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 3 SO, 2 BB

UP NEXT
The Garnet (5-4) return to the diamond tomorrow against Arcadia University.