FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Haverford College baseball team (6-3) defeated Illinois Wesleyan (4-5), by a score of 13-10 in Haverford's sixth game of the Gene Cusic Classic as Haverford participated in another slugfest at Terry Park.
Kendrick Curry II led the way offensively, going an impressive 4-for-5 from the plate, while driving in three runs. Anthony Runfola joined Curry II in the three-RBI club, as the senior went 2-for-5 from the plate with two runs. On the hill, Colin Lewis got the start, tossing four-and-a-third innings surrendering four hits, three runs (three earned) and six walks, to go along with six strikeouts. Adam Naegelen earned the win against the Titans, throwing two innings with one strikeout.
Haverford's bats got off to an early start, putting up three runs in the first frame of the game. After Daniel Rosman was plunked by the pitcher, a Harry Genth double put runners at second and third for Runfola. The senior roped a double to center field, scoring Genth and Rosman for the first two runs of the game. Following two strikeouts, a single from Curry II scored Runfola, as Haverford took a 3-0 lead into the bottom half of the first.
Colin Lewis pitched a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts in the bottom of the first, before a bases-loaded walk scored Tyler Woltman in the second inning, to get the Titans on the board.
Illinois Wesleyan kept up their offensive momentum in the bottom of the third, as an RBI-groundout from Woltman and a Jimmy Gurgone RBI-double leveled the game at 3-3 going into the fourth inning. Off to a very productive start to the 2025 season, Matt Dahl continued to find success at the plate, tripling home Jack Wallis, before scoring off a balk on the very next at-bat, as Haverford reclaimed the lead, 5-3.
With a runner at second and two outs in the top of the fifth, Runfola struck once again for the Scarlet and Black, singling in Miles Prusek, to tack on a vital insurance run for Haverford, pushing the lead up to 6-3.
The bottom of the sixth saw the Titans begin their comeback, as a costly fielding error led to a run by Tristan Figus, trimming the Scarlet and Black lead down to 6-4. After a Woltman double advanced Cade Tomhave to third, a two-run double smacked to right-center field by Gurgone evened the ballgame up at 6-6.
The Fords answered back quickly, as Prusek began the top of the seventh with a double, followed by a single from Rosman. Genth then came to the plate and singled to left field, scoring Prusek, to give Haverford the 7-6 lead.
Wallis then followed Genth, knocking in Rosman for the Fords' eighth run of the game, before Genth crossed the plate on an RBI-single from Curry to make it 9-6. The Fords then implemented a double-steal to score Jack Wallis, before a Chuck Norton double to left field scored Curry II, to make it 12-6 Haverford going into the bottom of the seventh.
Illinois Wesleyan resumed their comeback hopes once again, as with the bases loaded, Justin Gadomski got hit with an Adam Naegelen pitch to bring the Titans back within five, 12-7. Tomhave then proceeded Gadomski, singling to right field to drive in two more runs, as Illinois Wesleyan trailed by just three at 12-9. A sacrifice fly from Woltman brought in the 10th run for the Titans, before Thomas Ferguson forced a flyout from Gurgone to end the inning.
The top of the eighth saw the Fords added a much-needed insurance run, as Curry II drove in his fourth run of the game, knocking in Runfola to put the Scarlet and Black up 13-10.
Illinois Wesleyan started the bottom of the ninth with a double by Figus, but Riley Grohowski then took the mound and shut the door on the Titans, picking up a crucial save and sealing a 13-10 win for Haverford.
After an off day on Thursday, the Fords will return to action on Friday, March 14, to take on Hiram in Fort Myers, Fla., as the Gene Cusic Classic continues to roll on from Terry Park.
