FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Hiram College baseball team split a double header with Swarthmore (Pa.), winning the first game 5-2, but falling in Game 2 by a 4-2 score on Monday at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Florida.
The Terriers are now 2-2 on the season, while the Garnets are 3-1.
In Game 1, senior Nate Weiss (Warren, Mich./University Liggett) tossed six innings, giving up one earned run and striking out four for his first win of the season.
Swarthmore scored in the top half of the first inning, but Hiram took the lead right back in the bottom half of the frame on sacrifice flies form junior Trevor Foster (Warren/Champion) and senior Mark Leone (Boardman).
The Garnets battled back to tie the game in the sixth, scoring an unearned run.
But the Terriers answered right back in their half of the sixth to take the lead for good.
Foster was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sac bunt from Leone. Freshman Phil Ward (Garfield Heights) followed with a double to score Foster and give Hiram the 3-2 lead.
Ward would move to third on a wild pitch and sophomore Brandon Gros (Ravenna/Kent Roosevelt) would draw a walk and followed with a steal of second.
Senior Ron DeAmicis (Austintown/Fitch) came up a laced a single, scoring both Ward and Gros to make the score 5-2.
Senior Jaren Bell (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton) struck out the side in top half of the seventh to pick up his first save of the season. Bell also paced Hiram offensively in the contest, collecting two hits and scoring a run.
In Game 2, Hiram was limited to one run on just three hits.
The Garnets scored a run in the first but the Terriers answered right back with a run in the second on a hit by sophomore Eric Martin (Brookfield) that scored DeAmicis.
Swarthmore would add single runs in the third, fifth and sixth to pick up the victory.
Senior Pat Rhodes (Girard) fired a complete game, giving up four runs and striking out two batters.
Hiram will continue play at the Gene Cusic Classic on Tuesday, with a single game against Gettysburg (Pa.). First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.