FORT MYERS, Fla. - Haverford's bats remained scorching in their Florida trip, but a stunning late-game comeback from the Thoroughbreds in the opener led to a seven-inning doubleheader split against Skidmore at Terry Park. The Fords built an early double-digit lead in Game 1, only to see the Thoroughbreds storm back with a 10-run sixth inning to steal a 17-12 victory. Undeterred, Haverford rebounded in the second game, riding another offensive explosion and a solid bullpen effort to secure an 11-8 win Haverford is currently 5-3 on the young season.
Harry Genth finished the day 3-4 with two home runs, five RBI, five runs scored, 10 total bases, two walks and two hit by pitches, slugging 2.500 for the doubleheader. Matt Dahl kept up his torrid start to the spring trip with a 5-for-8 clip that included a double and 5 RBI while Anthony Runfola was a key contributor in the middle of the lineup, hitting .429 with three hits in seven trips to the plate, including a triple and a homer to go with five RBI.
Game 1: Skidmore 17, Haverford 12
Runfola and Dahl powered the Fords' offense, each driving in three runs. Runfola delivered a bases-clearing triple, while Dahl smacked a two-run double to fuel Haverford's early surge. Harry Genth also made an impact, launching his third home run of the young season.
On the mound, first-year pitcher David Bertz got the start and held Skidmore scoreless through the first three innings. He finished with 4.2 innings pitched, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits and five walks while matching his season-high with nine strikeouts.
The Fords wasted no time setting the tone, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Following a Daniel Rosman walk, Genth crushed a two-run homer to left field. Later in the inning, a Skidmore fielding error allowed Chuck Norton to reach base. After a wild pitch moved him to second, Kendrick Curry II walked, setting up Dahl's two-run double to extend the lead.
After two more scoreless frames from Bertz, Haverford broke the game open with an eight-run third inning, keeping the line moving throughout the lineup. Runfola led off with a single and a stolen base before scoring on a Jack Wallis RBI single. Norton followed with a single and promptly stole second before Dahl drove him in with another RBI knock. Luke Treese added an RBI single, and multiple Skidmore defensive miscues allowed the Fords to push their advantage to 12-0.
Skidmore finally broke through in the fourth, plating five runs to chip away at Haverford's lead. Eddie Galvao delivered the biggest blow, a bases-clearing triple that cut the deficit to 12-4. He later scored on a groundout, bringing the Thoroughbreds within seven.
The momentum shift continued in the fifth, as Skidmore tacked on two more runs, trimming the Fords' lead to 12-7. Then, in the sixth, Haverford's comfortable advantage unraveled. A relentless offensive onslaught saw the Thoroughbreds score 10 runs on a mix of timely hits, walks, and defensive miscues. A bases-loaded single by Ewen Donald, back-to-back RBI hits, and a costly balk set the stage for Skidmore to take its first lead of the game at 13-12. The Thoroughbreds weren't finished, tacking on four more runs before the inning ended, seizing a commanding 17-12 advantage.
Haverford couldn't mount a response in the seventh, as Skidmore shut the door with a 1-2-3 inning to complete the stunning comeback.
Game 2: Haverford 11, Skidmore 8
Determined to bounce back immediately, the Fords struck early in the afternoon contest. Genth wasted no time, launching a solo home run, his second of the day, in the first inning to give Haverford a 1-0 lead.
Skidmore answered in the second, as EJ Stefanelli tripled home Donald to tie the game at 1-1 before a Jack Riva RBI single put the Thoroughbreds ahead 2-1.
Haverford responded again in the third with another big swing from Runfola. After Genth drew a leadoff walk, the senior outfielder crushed a two-run homer to left-center, flipping the score back in the Fords' favor at 3-2.
Skidmore continued to battle, tying the game again in the fourth on an RBI double from Riva. But the Fords came right back in the bottom half, regaining control with three runs. Mauro DeCillis and Miles Prusek both reached base before Genth roped a two-run double to push Haverford ahead 5-3. Tommy Belman added another run, scoring on a fielder's choice to extend the lead to 6-3.
The Fords broke the game open in the sixth. With the bases loaded, Wallis scored on a fielding error, pushing the lead to 7-3. Dahl followed with an RBI single before a right-field error allowed Genth and Runfola to score, stretching the advantage to 10-3. Treese capped off the inning with an RBI groundout, giving Haverford an 11-3 lead heading into the final frame.
Skidmore mounted one last comeback attempt in the seventh. A fielder's choice brought home the Thoroughbreds' fourth run before Zachary Liederman's RBI single cut the lead to 11-5.
With a runner on, Sam Kornet launched a two-run homer, making it 11-7. Stefanelli added an RBI double to trim the deficit to three, but Drew Doyle shut the door, securing the 11-8 victory and the doubleheader split.
Haverford continues its busy start in Fort Myers with a single game against Illinois Wesleyan on Wednesday, March 12, with action beginning at noon.
