HAVERFORD, Pa. — Haverford Baseball erupted for one of the most prolific offensive performances in program history on Monday afternoon, overwhelming Lebanon Valley, 25-9, at Kannerstein Field behind an eye-popping stat line from sophomore Jackson Sgro.
The Fords (6-8) piled up 25 runs on 15 hits, launching six home runs and matching an NCAA Division III single-game record with three grand slams. The outburst was punctuated by a staggering 14-run fifth inning that broke the game wide open and eventually shortened the contest to just six innings.
At the center of it all was Sgro, the reigning National Rookie of the Year, whose performance was nothing short of historic.. The sophomore went 3-for-4 with three home runs, nine RBIs, and four runs scored, tying both the Centennial Conference and NCAA Division III records with two grand slams in a single game, a stat line that stands among the most remarkable single-game performances in the Division III annals.
Lebanon Valley (6-10) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Haverford responded immediately as Sgro and Miles Prusek delivered back-to-back solo home runs to kickstart the offense. The Fords seized control in the second, scoring seven runs, highlighted by Sgro's first grand slam of the day to cap a five-run outburst.
After Lebanon Valley trimmed the deficit to 9-7 through four innings, Haverford put together an inning for the record books in the fifth. The Fords sent 17 batters to the plate and scored 14 runs, fueled by Sgro's second grand slam and a grand slam from first-year Jack Phiel. The inning marked the first time since 2013 that a Division III team hit two grand slams in the same frame.
Sgro's second grand slam extended the lead to 19-7, and Phiel's blast later in the inning capped the scoring at 25-7.. Mauro DeCillis added a perfect 4-for-4 day with three RBIs, while Sam Schaeffer scored four runs and drove in two. Prusek also crossed the plate three times as Haverford's lineup produced contributions up and down the order. In total, the Fords recorded 23 runs batted in and worked 10 walks and reached base five times via hit batsman.
On the mound, Miles Flack (2-0) earned the win in relief, allowing two runs over three innings while striking out three. Kiran Sen contributed a pair of strikeouts and Andrew Schindler twirled the final two frames with a strikeout.
Lebanon Valley scored in four different innings, led by Parker Tarnoci's two-hit, three-RBI effort, but could not keep pace with Haverford's relentless offense.In total, the Fords' three grand slams matched an NCAA record, underscoring a historic afternoon that will be remembered for both its team-wide firepower and Sgro's milestone performance.
The Fords will waste no time jumping right back into action tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. as the squad travels to Widener for a contest with the Pride from Chester, Pa.
