SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Eastern Baseball came out on the losing end in a 17-9 slugfest at Swarthmore College on Tuesday evening at Clothier Field. The Garnet (9-11) pounded out 18 hits and scored three runs on four straight hits to begin the contest. Despite Eastern (6-14) rallying back to tie the game early, the Eagles couldn't overcome the Garnet's offensive surge and six costly errors.
Swarthmore wasted no time, launching into the first inning with a four-hit outburst, highlighted by a two-run homer from Max Roffwarg. The Eagles responded with grit, chipping away at the deficit in the second and third innings. First-year shortstop
Jaden Taylor delivered an RBI double on the first pitch he saw to put Eastern on the board in the second frame, and
Luke Meehan came through with a clutch two-run single in the third to even the score at 3-3.
The Garnet took control of the contest from there, scoring four runs, three of which came off Eastern errors. Aidan Sullivan's RBI double put Swarthmore up 4-3, and back-to-back miscues in the field allowed three more runs to score.
Swarthmore continued to add on in the fifth, scoring five more runs in the frame. Roffwarg drove in his third run of the evening on an RBI single, Ben Buchman followed with an RBI double, and Zac Kahn capped off the inning with a three-run shot to left-center field, putting the Garnet ahead 12-3.
The Eagles kept fighting, scoring three runs in both the fifth and eighth innings.
Matthew Gonglik came through with a two-run single, while
Joe Paradise and
Brian Lang each contributed an RBI as the Eagles cut the lead to four heading into the ninth inning. However, Swarthmore continued to add on late, sealing the win with a four-run ninth before the game was called due to darkness. MacDougall and Meehan led the Eagles with two hits apiece, while Taylor, Gonglik, Lang, and Paradise delivered key run-producing swings.
Eastern will look to bounce back quickly, traveling to King of Prussia on Wednesday for a showdown with Rosemont. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
