LEXINGTON, S.C. – The Swarthmore College baseball team opened its spring break trip to the Spartan Southern Classic by splitting a doubleheader against No. 16 Case Western Reserve University on Saturday. The Garnet took the opener in walk-off fashion, 3-2, before dropping the nightcap, 12-7.
Leor Kedar recorded three hits, a homer, three RBI, and a run for Swarthmore, including the game-winning single in game one.
Nathaniel Kittredge and
Aidan Sullivan both went 5-for-8 at the plate with two runs. Kittredge smacked two doubles and drove in a run while Sullivan registered one double.
Noah Potholm produced a strong start on the mound in the opener, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing just two runs.
SWARTHMORE 3, CWRU 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Kedar got the Garnet off to a quick start in the bottom of the first, leading off with his third home run of the year for a 1-0 lead. Potholm made Kedar's blast hold up for five innings, keeping the Spartans scoreless. He had some help from his defense in the third, as Sullivan threw out a runner at home plate from right field to complete an inning-ending double play.
- CWRU finally broke through in the sixth, putting the first two men on with a single and a double then scoring them on a groundout and a single for a 2-1 advantage. Swarthmore tied it up in the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Kittredge.
- The Spartans put a runner on with one out in the ninth but
David Herrin induced a double-play groundout to give the Garnet a chance to win it.
Alessandro Propper-Bowring led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by
Wilson Henze. Kedar then came through with a single through the left side on a 2-2 pitch to plate Propper-Bowring and give Swarthmore the victory.
GARNET LEADERS
Kedar: 3-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
Sullivan: 2-4, R
Kittredge: 3-4, 2B, RBI
Potholm: 6.2 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Herrin: W, 2.1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 K
CWRU 12, SWARTHMORE 7
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet opened the scoring again in the first, pushing across a run on a delayed double steal. However, CWRU responded quickly with three runs in the first, crushing a two-run homer and scoring on a double play. The Spartans made it 4-1 on a bases-loaded walk in the second.
- Swarthmore rallied to tie the score with a three-run fourth. The Garnet opened the frame with three straight singles by
Deven Peterson, Kittredge, and
Andrew Firko.
Francisco Mora brought home Peterson and Kittredge with a single up the middle and Kedar followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Firko.
- CWRU took over for good with four runs in the fifth, scoring on a pair of doubles and a single. The Spartans increased the advantage in the seventh, notching three runs on a double, a sac fly, and a wild pitch.
- Swarthmore closed the gap to four (11-7) with a three-run eighth. Propper-Bowring singled in a pair of runs and later scored on an error. CWRU tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the frame before sitting down the Garnet in order in the ninth.
GARNET LEADERS
Sullivan: 3-4, 2B, SB, R
Kittredge: 2-4, 2B, 2 R
Firko: 2-4, 2 R
Propper-Bowring: 1-4, 2 RBI, R
Mora: 1-4, 2 RBI
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (6-3) battles the Spartans for a final time on Sunday.
