HAVERFORD, Pa. --- The nationally-ranked Haverford College baseball team had a 6-2 lead after five innings and held on for a 6-4 victory over visiting Moravian College in non-conference action Wednesday as the Greyhounds received a two-run homer from junior outfielder Joseph Connell for the second straight game.
The Greyhounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Sophomore shortstop Alex Longernecker singled with one out and scored on an RBI bunt single by Connell. Moravian ended up leading two runners on base in the inning and nine runners on base in the game.
The Fords, ranked 21st in this week's American Baseball Coaches Association Top 25 poll and 25th in the D3baseball.com Top 25, answered right back with two runs on the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead. Junior outfielder Nick Miranda reached on an error with one out and sophomore pitcher/designated hitter Casey Fox followed with a two-run homer to left field, his first home run of the season.
Haverford added two runs in the bottom of the second inning on RBI singles by Miranda and Fox for a 4-1 lead.
Moravian cut the Fords' advantage to 4-2 with a run in the top of the fifth. Freshman outfielder Cameron Leon reached on an error with one out, and he scored on an RBI double by sophomore outfielder Justin Pilchman.
The Fords scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by freshman catcher Sam Kane and RBI sacrifice bunt by junior infielder Luke Frankiw.
In the top of the sixth, freshman first baseman Charles Savite reached on an error to start the inning. Connell followed with his home run to left field, his second homer in two days and the second of his career. Moravian would load the bases after Connell's blast, but the Greyhounds were unable to score.
Moravian put two more runners on back in the seventh inning as sophomore third baseman Ryan Luke led off with a double and Savite singled but both runners were left on base.
Haverford had a 12-10 edge in hits in the game wither Miranda, Fox and junior infielder William Bannard were each three-for-five for the Fords while Kane was two-for-three. Connell was three-for-four to lead the Greyhounds while Savite and Pilchman were each two-for-five.
Freshman Brett Wagner started for Moravian and suffered the loss on the mound, allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits and two walks to go with four strikeouts. Sophomore Chris Lansberry, freshman Anthony Zaloga and juniors Ben Hammel and Chris Soltys each pitched an inning with Zaloga and Soltys each striking out two batters.
Fox earned the win for the Fords, allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits and a walk while striking out nine. Sophomore Max Gerard tossed the final 3.1 innings with three hits and a strikeout for the save.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, April 6th when the Greyhounds open a three-game Landmark Conference series versus The United States Merchant Marine Academy at Gillespie Field in Bethlehem with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.
