Box Score

Langhorne, PA - The Highlanders blasted 7 hits and scored 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth inning against Swarthmore College in a nail-biting finish.

Trailing 6-0 heading into their last at-bat, Cairn University had only put together three hits all game. But in the bottom of the ninth, the Highlanders finally locked on to the Garnet pitching. Senior Jeremy McAlack started the rally off with a base-hit single. Chad Hollinger drilled a shot down the left-field line for another base hit, putting McAlack in scoring position. Freshman Kenneth Searle stepped up and followed suit with a blast down the left-field line of his own, scoring McAlack from second and now putting Hollinger in running position. If there were any fears of Cairn losing its momentum, rookie sensation Caleb Lang rocketed a double to left-center, scoring two. Now the deficit was only 6-3, with no outs and a runner in scoring position. Two batters later, another freshman Luis Colon singled, pushing Lang to third. With runners on the corner, the Highlanders gambled and sent Colon to steal second and it paid off. It was Colon's 1st career stolen base. The youthful revolution continued as yet another rookie, Ben Cardillo, stepped up and knocked it to right-center, scoring Lang and putting Colon on third. Without trying to sound redundant, but freshman Daniel Rendon stepped in as pinch-hitter and continued the rally with a single, knocking in Colon and advancing Cardillo to second. With only one out, the Highlanders had pulled to within one run, at 6-5, and had the tying and winning runners on base. But the final runs would elude the host with two straight outs to end the game.

Swarthmore scored solo runs in the top of the third and fifth, taking a 2-0 lead. In the seventh and eigth innings, the Garnet would stretch their lead from 2-0 to 4-0 and then 6-0.

Jon Sanville pitched seven innings for the Highlanders, allowing 10 hits and 4 runs, and striking out three batters. Dean Diernbach and Josh Henry each saw one inning of action.

For the Garnet, Sean Mangus held on to the win, pitching three hitless innings and shutting out the Highlanders to start. Five more Swarthmore pitchers came in relief in the effort to see off the Highlanders.

Hollinger, Searle, and Colon led Cairn with two hits each.

Despite the exciting finish, Cairn falls to 1-11 on the season. Swarthmore is now 8-5.

The Highlanders will now make their trip down to Front Royale, VA to square off with non-conference Christendom College in a doubleheader. Last year's doubleheader was rained out.