Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior Dave Olson (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) capped his stellar offensive game, reaching base all six times he came to the plate, by scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to snap a 16-16 tie and complete a Centennial Conference doubleheader sweep of Swarthmore Saturday afternoon at Kirchhoff Field. Olson finished 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, three walks and five RBI. The Bullets handled the opener without the dramatics as they pulled out a 12-1 win.
It looked as though the second game would be relatively easy for Gettysburg (16-19, 8-8 CC) as well as they took a 16-6 edge into the seventh inning. Swarthmore battled back, though, to score 10 runs over the next two frames while holding the Bullets scoreless to send the game to the ninth tied at 16. The Game 2 win was the 11th one-run game of the year for the Bullets, who improved their mark to 7-4 in such contests.
Besides Olson's strong showing, the Bullets, who now have four walk-off victories this season, received offensive contributions from some unlikely sources as Gettysburg banged out a combined 29 runs on 35 hits over both games. Freshman right fielder Cam Riera (Medway, Mass./Medway), who had only four starts entering play today, made the most of his opportunity by going a combined 5-for-9 with a double, a triple and a walk along with three RBIs and five runs scored. In line with Riera, junior shortstop Sam Stabert (Wynnewood, Pa./Lower Merion), who was sidelined with a shoulder injury for much of the season and hitless in 11 at-bats entering the game, broke out by going 5-for-9 with a walk, a stolen base, three RBI and four runs scored.
While the Bullet bats certainly proved mighty in Game 1, Gettysburg starter, sophomore Derek Zaleski (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield) proved equally impressive. He went all seven innings and earned the complete-game win, allowing only five hits – all singles – and one run.
Gettysburg got on the board early in Game 1 by scoring three in the first. Freshman second baseman Chris Simard (Lexington, Mass./Belmont Hill) led off with a single to center. After an out, singles by sophomore third baseman Mike Backus (Piscataway, N.J./Immaculata) and senior tri-captain Mike Donohue (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) plated Simard. One out later, another pair of back-to-back singles, courtesy of Stabert and senior centerfielder Sean McGee (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) added two more runs.
Swarthmore (8-19, 2-14 CC) scored its lone in the second inning on an RBI groundout. Gettysburg responded with one in the bottom half when Riera tripled to left and Simard followed with a sacrifice fly to center.
Gettysburg broke the game open with four in the fourth. McGee led off the inning with a single to center. He was quickly brought home on a double to left by senior tri-captain Matt Stillitano (Ewing, N.J./The Hun School of Princeton) who then scored when Riera doubled down the left field line. After a Simard walk, Swarthmore pulled starter Neil Mejia. Mejia (4-4) lasted only three innings while allowing 10 hits and eight runs, all earned. Garnet reliever Zach Sinemus retired the first two batters he faced, but just when it looked as though he would get out of the inning without further damage, Donohue singled to load the bases and sophomore designated-hitter Kevin Langhauser (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) followed with a single up the middle, scoring Riera and Siamrd.
Gettysburg added one in the fifth on a RBI single by Vladyka before putting up three more in the sixth. Singles by Donohue and Stabert, sandwiched around a walk by Langhouser, gave Gettysburg the bases loaded with no one out. A one-out single by Stillitano scored Donohue, and a two-out single by Simard scored Langhouser and Stabert, pushing the Bullets' margin to 11.
Swarthmore responded in Game Two by opening with a pair of runs in the first off Gettysburg starter Mike Ciancio (Roseland, N.J./Newark Academy). A single to center, a nicely-executed bunt down the first-base line and a double steal gave the Garnet two runners in scoring position. Junior third baseman Conor Casey capitalized on the opportunity by singling to right, scoring both Swarthmore runners.
The Bullets answered quickly and loudly, though, with five runs in the home half of the first. Simard led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Vladyka singled up the middle. Vladyka also advanced to second on a wild pitch before reaching both third and home on separate groundouts that tied the game, but left the bases empty with two outs. Stabert got things restarted with a walk and then promptly stole second. He scored when McGee roped a triple down the right field line, which Riera followed with an RBI single up the middle. Olson concluded the scoring in the first when he laced a triple into the right-center gap, plating Riera.
After holding down Swarthmore in the second, Gettysburg picked up where it left off in the first by adding four more runs. The Bullets had the bases loaded with two outs for Riera, who drew a walk, plating Vladyka, and bringing Swarthmore starter Andy Allen's day to a close. Allen went just 1 and 2/3 innings while allowing five hits and nine runs, five earned. Garnet reliever James Bernard was greeted by Olson's two run double down the left-field line, scoring Stillitano and Stabert. After sophomore catcher Craig Barrows (Whippany, N.J./Whippany Park) walked, Simard singled, scoring Riera.
Swarthmore pulled back into the game with three unearned runs in the third, but the Bullets matched that total in the bottom half with a walk, three singles, including RBI singles by Stabert and Olson, and a wild pitch, putting the score at 12-5 in favor of the hosts after three full.
Gettysburg kept pounding away in the fourth inning as Simard led off with a single through the left side. After a groundout, Gettysburg put together four consecutive singles by Backus, Stillitano, Stabert and McGee that pushed across two more runs. One out later, a bases loaded walk by Olson gave the Bullets a ten-run cushion at 15-5.
Swarthmore used a double and a single to get one run back in the fifth and finally held Gettysburg scoreless in the bottom half. The top of the sixth saw a new pitcher for Gettysburg, John Antrim-Cashin (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Fordham Prep), bringing Ciancio's day to a close. Ciancio went five innings allowing three earned runs while demonstrating good control with four strikeouts and no walks. Antrim-Cashing struck out the side in the sixth, and the Bullets added an unearned run in the bottom half, putting the score at 16-6, setting up the Garnet comeback.
Swarthmore used five hits, four walks, two wild pitches, an error and a sacrifice fly off three Gettysburg pitchers in the seventh to pull within two at 16-14. After holding down Gettysburg for just the second time all game, Swarthmore added two more unearned runs in the top of the eighth. The Garnet looked poised to take its first lead since the first inning with runners on second and third, but after surrendering the lead, sophomore Michael Sweeney (Bethesda, Md./St. Anselm's Abbey School) was able to limit the damage by inducing a flyout to center to end the inning. The Bullets went down in order in the eighth, the only time either team did so in the nightcap, bringing the teams to the ninth knotted at 16.
The Garnet were unable to advance a runner past first in their half, bringing the Bullets to the plate. Olson led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Barrows. Simard hit a grounder to the left side, but the shortstop's throw sailed wide of first, plating Olson from second with the winning run.
Sweeney picked up the win in relief, going 1 2/3 hitless, scoreless innings while striking out two without issuing a walk. Jimmy Gill was the losing pitcher for the Garnet despite not allowing an earned run in the five innings in which he pitched.
With the sweep, the Bullets picked up a game on fourth-place Muhlenberg, who split a doubleheader with McDaniel this afternoon. Gettysburg now sits tied for fifth with Ursinus, one game back of Muhlenberg and the final playoff spot, with two conference games remaining.
The Bullets will play their home finale on Tuesday against Villa Julie at 3:30 p.m. After another non-conference match-up on Wednesday, the Bullets will head to Collegeville on Saturday for a doubleheader with Ursinus to close their conference slate.
