Swire Swings His Way to AEC Baseball Weekly Honor Roll Recognition
Lancaster, Pa. – (3/21/2022) – Gwynedd Mercy University senior left fielder Brett Swire (Boyertown, Pa.) was 9-for-19 (.474) with eight runs scored, 11 RBI, five walks, and three stolen bases in Gwynedd Mercy University’s 4-1 week in games versus Misericordia University (L, 5-7 on Mar. 16) and Penn State York (W, 13-2 and W, 9-5 on Mar. 19/W, 26-1 and W, 7-3 on Mar. 20). The performance earned him a mention on the Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Baseball Weekly Honor Roll.
Gwynedd Mercy University (7-8) held a 2-1 lead over Misericordia University (8-6) after the first two innings of Wednesday’s (Mar. 16) home opener. The Cougars stole the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning, 3-2, but the Griffins answered immediately as double steal from senior second baseman Rob Bailey (Abington, Pa.) and Swire and a double to right center from sophomore shortstop Frank Ebling (Cherry Hill, N.J.) gained them a 4-3 lead. Unfortunately, Misericordia University won the later innings, changing places with Gwynedd Mercy University with a 3-1 fifth inning, 6-5, and adding an insurance run to their 7-5 victory a sixth-inning sacrifice fly. Swire finished the game 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Ebling dealt in the first game of the four-game series with Penn State York (Mar. 19). He kept the scoreboard clean for the first three innings, while Gwynedd Mercy University plated four third-inning runs. A sacrifice fly, a Swire line drive to left field, and two more Griffin hits accounted for the scores. Gwynedd Mercy University scored another run in the top of the fourth inning, 5-0, but the Nittany Lions got one back in the bottom, 5-1, and narrowed the margin by a run with a fifth-inning tally; 5-2. Eight Griffin runs between the sixth (3 runs) and seventh (5 runs) innings pushed the final margin to 11 scores; 13-2. Swire was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI, two walks, and two stolen bases.
In game two, PSU York owned a 4-1 lead after two innings and a 4-3 lead after third inning. Gwynedd Mercy University scored their two third-inning runs with a Campbell hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch, but grabbed hold of the affair with a five-run fifth inning; 8-4. Campbell knocked in a run with a sixth-inning ground out, 9-4, and the Nittany Lions got it back with a fleeting tally in the seventh; 9-5. Swire came through with three more RBI and scored a run with a 2-for-5 effort at the plate.
In the first game of Sunday's (Mar. 20) Senior Day doubleheader was a runaway as Gwynedd Mercy University was already up 12-1 before 14-run sixth-inning runs added insult to injury in a 26-1 final. Swire knocked in seven runs with a first-inning ground out, a third-inning single to right field, a fifth-inning single to left field, and both a single and a walk in the extended sixth inning.
Sophomore right fielder Barry Walker (Egg Harbor City, N.J.) squeezed in the first run for the game in the second inning of the finale, 1-0. The Griffins added to their lead with Martell's infield single; 2-0. PSU York eventually evened the spread with runs in the fourth and sixth innings; 2-2. It was the bottom of the sixth that separated the Griffins from the Nittany Lions as walks to senior first baseman Billy Collins (Hatfield, Pa.) and junior third baseman Noah Andress (Levittown, Pa.) set the table for a 7-3 Griffin Victory. Unfortunately, Swire was 0-for-3 in the win.
Gwynedd Mercy University continues their non-conference schedule on Tuesday, March 22, when they visit Delaware Valley University for a 3:00 p.m. contest.
