PHOENIX, AZ. — Arizona Christian University scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday, sending Williams College to a 5-3 defeat.
The Ephs are now 4-7 on their trip to Arizona. They are off Thursday before beginning a key three-game series with NESCAC West rival Middlebury Friday.
Williams built a 3-0 lead early in Wednesday's ballgame. David Webster had a sacrifice fly in the top of the second to score Marco Hernandez and put the Ephs on the scoreboard. In the third, Stephen Maier led off with a single and moved to second when Darren Hartwell beat out a bunt for a basehit. Cameron Susk's grounder forced out Hartwell at second but moved Maier to third. Matt Kastner followed with a sac fly to center for a 2-0 lead.
The Ephs scored their final run in the fourth when Phil McGovern led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by K.C. Murphy. After Webster flew out, Maier walked and Hartwell followed with a clutch two-out, RBI-single for a 3-0 lead.
Williams pitchers Thomas Stephens, Ben Olivia and Thomas Murphy combined to shut out ACU for the the first five innings, allowing just one hit and two walks. Matt Berdoff pitched a scoreless sixth, but ACU nicked Kelso Stevens for one run in the seventh to make it 3-1.
Williams senior Dan Grossman took over for the eighth but did not fare well, allowing four straight hits, the final a three-run triple to center off the bat of Taylor Osborne that gave the hosts the lead for good. Grossman took the loss, allowing fouur hits and four runs over one inning while striking out one.
Hartwell finished 3 for 5 at the plate for Williams. Hernandez was 2 for 3.
