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CLINTON, NY- The Williams College
baseball team (15-7, 4-2) smashed 18 hits to win their fourth game
in five days Friday afternoon at Hamilton, 11-1. The Ephs got
strong starting pitching from senior ace Dan Benz and belted two
home runs in the key NESCAC contest.
"Dan Benz pitched a great game and was very effective," said
head coach Bill Barrale. "We again committed no errors and
played a clean game in the field."
Both teams looked strong early, as the Ephs and the Continentals
battled to a scoreless tie after three innings. In the
fourth, the Ephs got their offense going as junior Chad Brown hit a
two run single, and sophomore Pat Barren followed that up with an
RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
Benz continued to shut down the Hamilton offense, allowing three
hits and no runs through the first six innings. His offense
would again come up big, as sophomore James Allison tacked on
another run with an RBI single to give the Ephs a 4-0 lead after
six.
It was in the eighth when the Ephs would show some muscle and
put the game out of reach. Brown led off the inning with a
solo homerun, and after a walk by senior Zach Stone, Barren smashed
a homer of his own, as the Ephs took a 7-0 lead into the home half
of the eighth.
Benz, who had held Hamilton scoreless through first seven
frames, was pulled from the game after a leadoff double in the
eighth. First year Dan Grossman entered the game and allowed
an RBI single, but forced a double play to end the inning.
In the ninth, the Ephs added some insurance, as they scored four
runs, including a two run double by Allison. Grossman loaded
the bases in the ninth but pitched out of the jam to secure the
crucial NESCAC victory.
"It's always good to get the first win in a three game series,
especially on the road," said Barrale. "We have a big double
header tomorrow, and its nice to know that if we come out and play
hard, that we control our own destiny."
On offense, Brown finished 2-5 with two runs and four RBI, while
Barren and Allison smashed five hits and six RBI combined.
Other notable performers were Stone (4-4, three runs), senior
Taylor Mikell (2-3, one run), and junior Al Mathews (4-5, one run).
The Ephs conclude their NESCAC series tomorrow with a double
header against Hamilton that begins at 12 PM, live from Reuben
Field.
