The Muhlenberg baseball allowed five unearned runs in the first four innings and could not recover, falling at Swarthmore, 8-6, in a game called after seven innings due to rain and darkness.

The Mules (6-7-1, 1-3-1) scored a run in the top of the seventh and had the potential tying runs in scoring position when the final out was made.

Freshman A.J. Bettini hit a two-run single in the second inning and also had a single that led to a run in the fourth. Freshman Pete Oris singled twice as well.

Junior Gregg Burkhart fanned three of the four batters he faced in relief to move into eighth place on the program’s all-time strikeout list with 127.

Muhlenberg had won 15 straight games against the Garnet (2-9, 1-4), dating back to 1996.

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The Red Devils (8-9, 3-1) won the first game, 10-2, on the strength of a five-run first inning, and had the Mules (8-6, 1-3) shut out on three hits with three outs to go in the nightcap.

Senior Jackie Maser led off the big inning and fell behind 0-2. After fouling off a pair of pitches, she drove a double deep to left-center to ignite the uprising. A single by sophomore Lindsay Ruhling and a double by winning pitcher Nicole Washburn plated the first run.

After senior Nicole Sarno reached on an error to load the bases, freshman Tina Roth stroked a pinch-hit single, tying the game at 2-2.

Senior Becki Toth then delivered the big hit of the inning, a bases-clearing double. Toth came around to score on two wild pitches, giving Muhlenberg a 6-2 lead. The Mules added two more runs on a bases-loaded walk to Washburn (after Maser’s second hit of the inning) and an infield error.

Washburn allowed two runs in the bottom of the seventh but struck out a batter with two runners on to finish off her first career complete game.

Toth went 3-for-3 in the first game and 5-for-7 in the doubleheader.

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