Box Score - Game
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Box Score - Game
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AMHERST, MA- The Williams College baseball team (13-9,
3-2) dropped two conference games Sunday as they were swept in a
double header against archrival Amherst. The Ephs have now
dropped four straight games and five out of six since returning
from Arizona.
In game one, the Lord Jeffs needed only one inning to put
together all the offense necessary in the 4-3 win. Junior Dan
Benz started for the Ephs and went four innings, allowing all four
runs in the second inning. Benz looked primed to escape the
second frame without any damage as he worked around a one-out
double to get two outs with a runner on second. However,
walk, a wild pitch (resulting in a run), and a passed ball set the
stage for a three run homerun by Lord Jeff senior catcher Josh
Card.
"This game was obviously a tough one to lose but I felt it was
well played," said head coach Bill Barrale. "We pitched well
and the defense was solid."
Despite the loss, the Ephs received two scoreless innings from
sophomore reliever Paul Burgdorf and a 2-3 day at the plate from
sophomore catcher Chad Brown.
In the nightcap, the Ephs looked poised to rebound and even the
series at one game apiece. Junior Ben Horowitz started and
went seven strong innings, allowing only two earned runs while
striking out six.
In the bottom of the ninth, with the Ephs leading 5-2, some
crucial errors turned out to be very costly. After pitching a
perfect eighth, senior Matt Gustafson ran into trouble after
retiring the first batter. With one out, the Lord Jeffs
strung together three consecutive singles to load the bases before
the Ephs could record the second out. Even with the bases
loaded, the Ephs were one out away from victory, when an error, a
walk, and a wild pitch turned a comfortable three run lead into a
5-5 tie.
After a call to the bullpen, where first year Tommy Hester
replaced Gustafson, another fielding error, this time at short,
resulted in a 6-5 Amherst victory.
"In the second game we were up 5-0 and played solid baseball for
eight innings," said Barrale. "It was just one inning where
we did not play good defense and we did not make the plays we
should have, and it cost us."
The loss drops the Ephs from first place in the NESCAC West and
makes upcoming conference games against Hamilton and Wesleyan, not
to mention a makeup game against Amherst, very critical if the Ephs
look to make it back to the NESCAC tournament.
The Ephs now have three days off before they start a stretch of
four games in three days. On April 17, the Ephs travel to
Castleton State for a 4 PM game, and then return home for a weekend
series against Hamilton.
