Box Score
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA—Steve Marino allowed just three hits over seven innings as Williams stretched its win streak to five games in a 3-0 victory over Springfield College on Monday afternoon.
Breezy, cloudy conditions were the order of the day at Bobby Coombs Field, and neither squad's offense seemed to get quite warmed up. Marino and Patrick Blizzard combined to toss a six-hit shutout, stranding 13 runners on the basepaths and working out of trouble all day.
Williams, meanwhile, managed just three hits in the win but was able to capitalize on shaky accuracy from the Springfield starter, Alex Williams.
The home team broke through in the bottom of the second inning. Tommy Stephens walked, and one batter later came around to score when K.C. Murphy roped a double to left-center. The Ephs threatened to score more when Matt Kastner and James Allison walked to load the bases, but Williams snuck a fastball past Cameron Susk to escape from the inning just one run the worse for wear.
Control problems continued to plague the visiting Pride in the next inning. Pat Barren reached first on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Marco Hernandez grounded out to the shortstop, moving Barren over to third, and Stephens followed with another grounder to short, this time to bring the second Eph run across.
The righthander Williams finished the day having surrendered just one hit but five walks and two hit batters in 2 2/3 innings.
Junior Adam DeFelice was smooth in relief for Springfield, though, and kept his team in the game with 5 1/3 innings of two-hit ball. The only blemish on his afternoon came in the home half of the seventh. Kastner led off the inning by scorching a triple to left-center. The next hitter, Allison, brought him home with a single to center to cap off the scoring for the day.
For Marino, the start was anything but flawless, but the away team's section of the scoreboard remained empty all afternoon. The first-year left-hander allowed two runners to reach base in three of the first four innings, but each time was able to work his way out of the jam. The fourth inning may have been the best chance for the Bantams to break through, as an error and a single put two runners on with just one out.
But Marino showed impressive moxie, recording a lineout to right and handling a popup himself to escape. He finished his day after seven innings, allowing three hits and walking five. Marino also tallied four strikeouts on the afternoon in a start that lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.95.
Blizzard took over and handled the final two innings, allowing three hits but preserving the victory to earn a save. The Ephs retake the field tomorrow versus Union at home.
