SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Swarthmore College baseball team picked up a crucial conference victory with a 14-10 triumph over Muhlenberg College on Wednesday. The Garnet improved to 5-6 in the Centennial to gain ground in a tight postseason race. 

Evan Hawkes reached base five times and played excellent defense in center field. The rookie went 2-for-3 with three walks, three runs and an RBI to provide a spark at the top of Swarthmore's lineup. Brad Johnston's bat also played an important role, tallying a couple hits including a game-tying home run in the fifth inning. 

Teddy Helgerson picked up his first collegiate win in a rocksteady performance. The rookie provided three scoreless innings out of the bullpen without surrendering a hit. Helgerson steadied the Garnet staff after they gave up seven runs on two hits and nine walks in the opening two frames. 

MUHLENBERG 10, SWARTHMORE 14
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Swarthmore ran into some trouble in the top of the first, surrendering three runs on two hits. Ezra Schwartz limited damage with crucial double play with the bases loaded and no outs, before generating an inning-ending pop out. 

- The Garnet offense countered with a big inning in the first. Deven Peterson doubled home two runs, while Nathaniel Kittredge brought home another with a double. Kittredge then scored the go-ahead run after Alessandro Propper-Bowring stalled on the basepaths with a rundown between first and second, making it 4-3. 

- The Garnet bullpen gave back four runs in the second, walking six batters with a hit batsman. Jackson Clemens limited damage with a bases-loaded strikeout to strand three Mules. Helgerson then settled things down with a much-needed, 1-2-3 frame in the third, holding the Garnet at a 7-4 disadvantage. 

- In the bottom of the third, Zac Kahn doubled a pair into scoring position after Hawkes worked a lead-off walk. Swarthmore plated a run with a balk, while Peterson brought home another run on an RBI groundout, pulling within one run. 

- Helgerson tossed three scoreless frames to keep the Garnet within striking distance. Swarthmore then took the lead in the fifth, chasing the Mules starter while hanging four runs on the club. Johnston kickstarted the rally with a game-tying leadoff homer, while adding three more on an error, fielder's choice and an Aidan Sullivan sacrifice flyout, giving the Garnet a 10-7 lead. 

- The Mules homered in the sixth for their first hit since the first inning, but were sat down in order after an easy seventh inning from Aidan Tinker. The Garnet snuck across a run in the bottom half on a Sullivan walk, stolen base and a pair of wild pitches. Johnston then kept the two-out rally alive with a hard-hit single to take a 12-8 lead. 

- Muhlenberg tightened the score with two runs in the eighth, but the Garnet answered back with another pair. Sullivan brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, while Hawkes singled home another insurance tally, making it 14-10. Sullivan then shut the door on the Mules with a scoreless ninth inning. 


GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Hawkes: 2-for-3, 3 R, RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB
Johnston: 2-for-6, 2 RBI, HR
Peterson: 1-for-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, HBP, SB

GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Helgerson: (W, 1-1), 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

UP NEXT
The Garnet (20-11, 5-6) look to take the season series against the Mules on Friday.