WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — Amherst College extended its record win streak to 13 games Friday, scoring four times in the sixth inning to rally past archrival Williams College at Cole Field, 5-2.
Amherst is now 13-0, 1-0 in the NESCAC, while the Ephs slipped to 6-9, 0-1 in the conference. The schedule Saturday doubleheader between the two teams has been pushed to Sunday — same times, same place — due to a forecast filled with snow.
With the game tied 1-1 Friday, Williams sophomore Amanda Correnti led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to dead center field to give the Ephs a lead for the first time.
Amherst countered in the top of the sixth after Eph left fielded Ally Ensor robbed Kelsey Ayers of a hit with a nice diving stab near the left field line. Donna Leet and Reilly Horan followed with singles to put runners on first and third. First-year Idalia Friedson then launched a three-run homer to center off Williams starter Emma Harrington. One batter later, Amherst's Theresa Kelly also hit a home run, this one a solo shot, also to center, for a 5-2 lead.
The Ephs, who left 11 on base in the game, eight over the final three innings, nearly rallied in their half of the sixth when Lindsey Precht and Mo Frank singled and with two outs, Ali Hart's grounder was misplayed to load the bases. However, Amherst first year Arielle Doering, who had relieved Kelly after Correnti's homer in the fifth, induced Theresa Legan to ground out to shortstop to end the threat.
In the Williams seventh, Kaitlin Dinet and Merrilee Weston drew two outs walks from Doering, bringing the tying run to the plate in the person of Precht, but a comebacker to the circle ended the game.
Ayers went 3 for 4 with a run scored for the Ephs, while Leet was 2 for 4. Kelly went four innings and allowed four hits and two runs. She did not walk a batter and struck out five. Doering improved to 4-0 with three scoreless innings of relief, giving up four hits and three walks while fanning one batter.
Correnti and Frank each went 2 for 3 for the Ephs, while Ensor was 2 for 4. Harrington took the loss, going six full frames and allowing eight hits and five runs, four earned. She did not walk a hbatter and struck out five. Dinet pitched a scoreless seventh.
