SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Dickinson baseball team attempted to improve their position for the upcoming Centennial Conference Tournament on Thursday afternoon on the road against Swarthmore College. Unfortunately, for the Red and White they were swept off of Clothier Baseball Field by scores of 9-2 and 7-5.

Game One - Garnet 9, DEVILS 2
Time of Game - 2:45
Pitching Decision
W - Liam Alpern (4-0) | L - Thomas Marshman (0-2)

Inside the Game
After Dickinson went down in order against Liam Alpern to start the game, the home side got a leadoff walk, single and fielder's choice to place men in scoring position with two gone for Austin Burgess. He made it 2-0 through one with knock to left-center off of Grayson Walker. The visitors pulled a run back in the top of the second with a little two-out rally as Matt Torres doubled down the line in right, before Christian Kim poked one to center to drive in the run. Walker did exactly what you needed him to do during the home-half by getting two strikeouts along with a flyout to center. 

It stayed 2-1 into the last of the third when the Garnet sent ten men to the plate and took advantage of two DC errors to score four more times and open up a 6-1 cushion after three. Two walks and another visiting miscue had the bags full with no one out in the home portion of the fourth for Emmet Reynolds. He would see a new arm for the Red and White as Thomas Marshman came in from the pen, but gave up an RBI single to center for Reynolds for the 7-1 lead entering the fifth. Both sides went "one-two-three" during the fifth setting the stage for the Devils to find a run a frame later when singles by Kenny Tagliareni and Kaden Sigmon coupled with an error allowing Torres to reach loaded the pillows for Chase Weller. He would draw a free pass off of Alpern to cut it down to 7-2. Then, in the home-half of the seventh an error and single placed runners on the corners for Benjamin Buchman who squared off against new pitcher Pat Metzger and produced an RBI groundout. Which was then followed by a run-scoring hit from Aidan Sullivan to extend the margin to 9-2 heading to the eighth. Dickinson would come up with three more base-runners over the final two innings, but were never able to mount a rally as Tagliareni flew out to end the game.

Game Two - Garnet 7, DEVILS 5
Time of Game - 2:30
Pitching Decision
W - Noah Potholm (3-1) | L - Charlie Bien (1-1)

Inside the Game
This time it was Dickinson that struck first as they opened up with five consecutive singles from Tagliareni, Andrew Mazzone, Sigmon, Derek Smith and Torres led to two runs coming home against Noah Potholm. Devils starter Koll Peichel posted a clean frame in the first, before allowing two runs during the second thanks to a hit batter, sacrifice fly, triple and single. Then, in the home portion of the third the Garnet picked up one more as with with two away Matthew Silvestre doubled and Burgess smacked a single to right-center to give the host a 3-2 edge with three in the books. 

Kim began the fourth with a single to center, before being forced out on a fielder's choice by Dylan Posencheg. After a two-bagger from Nathan Bowman two men were in scoring position, setting the stage for a walk to Mazzone filling the bags with two gone. Sigmon then cleared the bases with a three-run double deep into the left-field corner to give the guests a 5-3 lead. Once again though Swarthmore had an immediate response as a two-out single led to an RBI double for Sullivan. Then in the fifth, Charlie Bien took over for Peichel and allowed two singles along with a pair of doubles to plate three more giving the Garnet a 7-5 advantage into the sixth. 

Unfortunately, for the Red and White they could only muster four base-runners over the rest of the game Potholm thanks to two errors, a single from Ryan Thompson and fielder's choice. One of the best chances to tie the game came in the eighth as two men were in scoring position with one away, but a popout and groundout ended the threat. Then during the ninth with one on and one down Sigmon hit into a game-ending double-play.

The On-Deck Circle
Dickinson (21-15-1, 9-7 Centennial) is scheduled to play Franklin & Marshall College tomorrow afternoon at 3:30pm at MacPhail Field. The weather does not look all that promising however, so stay tuned to Dickinson Ahletics social media platforms for any potential updates.  Read Full Article