(box score)
Widener erased another five-run deficit, but could not hold off Swarthmore and suffered an 11-8 defeat in Chester, PA.
Just as it had in its previous five games, Widener took a lead in the first inning, plating three and batting around in the frame.
Swarthmore came right back in the top of the second. They utilized seven hits, four of them for extra bases, to score six runs and send 11 to the plate in the inning. The big blow came off the bat of Jimmy Gill, who hit a two-run homer to right.
The Garnet added one in each of the next two innings to take an 8-3 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth. It was then the Pride began to chip away. Sophomore Sean Saverio (Horsham, PA) singled to left for his second RBI of the game, scoring the reigning Commonwealth Conference Player of the Week, junior Tom DeAngelis (Pottstown, PA). Widener scored again in the fifth inning to cut the lead to 8-5.
After a scoreless sixth, the Pride sent Swarthmore down in order in the top of the seventh. Freshman Max McCarthy (Deptford, NJ) led the bottom of the inning off with a pinch-hit single, and sophomore Bill Hollingsworth (Drexel Hill, PA), who entered the game in the sixth, followed with a two-run round tripper, the first of his career, to make it an 8-7 deficit.
Widener used three straight hits with one out in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game, 8-8, on a single by senior Tom Connelly (Media, PA), who also entered the game in the sixth.
Swarthmore got a one-out single from Ben Schneiderman in the top of the ninth. Rory McTear then reached on a fielding error to put two on for Mike Waterhouse, who drove a three-run longball to left for an 11-8 lead. With the win, Swarthmore now trails Widener 8-6 in their inaugural “320 Challenge."
Sophomore Mike Pappas (Brookhaven, PA) pitched well for the Pride (6-4), throwing 5 1/3 innings in relief, allowing just two runs, only one of which was earned.
Waterhouse, Gill, and Schneiderman combined for 10 hits, eight RBI and six runs scored for the Garnet (9-6). Adam Hardy recorded the win over two innings.
Widener on Thursday travels to Grantham, PA for a Commonwealth Conference game against Messiah at 3:30 pm.
