WESTMINSTER, MD - The Swarthmore College baseball team split its season finale against McDaniel College on Sunday afternoon, dropping the opener 12-9 before bouncing back with a dominant 11-2 win in game two. Despite the victory, the Garnet were eliminated from postseason contention due to a three-way tie for the final two spots.

The Garnet raced out to a hot start with a six-run second inning in the opener, but were unable to shut down the Green Terror offense. McDaniel ended the game with five-unanswered runs while keeping Swarthmore off the board for the last five innings. 

Swarthmore flipped the script in game two with a dominant performance from start to finish. The Garnet batted around for four runs in the opening frame and never looked back. Jackson Garnecki was excellent on the bump, logging six innings with just one run allowed. Gavin Rigby then shut the door with three stellar innings to preserve the lead. 

MCDANIEL 12, SWARTHMORE 9
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After McDaniel rallied for a pair in the opening frame, the Garnet responded with six runs in the second. Noam AuYeung brought home the team's first run with a bunt single before Aidan Sullivan drew a free pass to tie the game. Andrew Firko then singled home the go-ahead score, while Zac Kahn was hit by a pitch and Deven Peterson knocked in two more to take a 6-2 lead. 

- McDaniel jumped back in front with seven runs in the third to take a 7-6 lead. However, the Garnet responded once again with a three-run fourth. Peterson singled in the tying run, while Nathaniel Kittredge regained the lead for Swarthmore with a sacrifice flyout. Wilson Henze then tacked on one more with an RBI single, building a 9-7 edge. 

- The Green Terror fought their way back with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. McDaniel's bullpen then did its job with five scoreless frames to tame the Garnet bats. 

GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Peterson: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB
Firko: 2-for-3, 2 R, RBI
AuYeung: 3-for-4, RBI, R


MCDANIEL 2, SWARTHMORE 11
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet batted around for four runs in the opening frame. Brad Johnston had the big hit, smacking a three-run homer to kick off the scoring. Swarthmore then loaded the bases again before AuYeung drew a walk to bring in the inning's fourth run. 

- McDaniel scraped across a run in the first before the Garnet countered with two in the second. Kittredge brought home both runs with a two-run double, making it 6-1. 

- Kittredge struck again with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Firko then built on a stellar afternoon with a two-run triple in the fifth to build an eight-run cushion. 

- The Green Terror snuck across an unearned run in the seventh, but were unable to muster together much else against the Garnecki and Rigby. Swarthmore piled on two more runs in the ninth on a Sullivan sacrifice fly and a McDaniel fielding blunder. 

GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Peterson: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB
Firko: 2-for-3, 2 R, RBI
AuYeung: 3-for-4, RBI, R

GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Garnecki: (W, 3-1), 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 5 SO
Rigby (SV, 1): 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 SO