FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Haverford College baseball team (2-2) fell to Augustana (Ill.), 7-4, in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic opener on Sunday at Terry Park in Fort Myers, Florida.
Haverford struck first, pushing a run across in the second inning. Jack Wallis led off with a single, followed by Kendrick Curry II, who lined a base hit through the right side. Luke Treese advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt before Miles Prusek drove in the first run with an RBI groundout, giving the Fords an early lead.
Augustana (4-4) responded in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on a pair of errors. Dymitri Kanellakis roped a two-run double to put the Vikings ahead, 2-1.
Treese tied the game in the fourth with a sacrifice fly, but Augustana reclaimed the lead in the fifth, rallying against Haverford starter Riley Grohowski. Ryan Coon drew a walk and came around to score on Kanellakis' RBI single before Kaileb Hackman launched a two-run homer, making it 5-2. The Vikings tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh. Ethan Sosnowski walked with the bases loaded, and Hackman later scored on a wild pitch.
Haverford fought back in the eighth, cutting the deficit to three. Harry Genth was hit by a pitch, and Anthony Runfola followed with a towering two-run homer to bring the Fords within striking distance.
Grohowski made his second start of the year and turned in a solid performance, tossing six innings while allowing three earned runs, walking two, and striking out one.
Chance Carruthers was effective for Augustana, scattering five hits and allowing just one earned run over 6.1 innings while striking out three. Ethan McGraw provided 2.1 innings of relief, striking out four despite surrendering Runfola's homer.
Genth was a spark plug on the bases, reaching safely three times, including twice via hit-by-pitch. His aggressive baserunning kept Augustana's defense on edge as he swiped three bags and scored a run.
Haverford returns to action tomorrow with a split doubleheader, facing Wisconsin Lutheran at 12 p.m. before taking on Otterbein at 3 p.m. in day two of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers.
