Game One Box Score
WILLIAMSTOWN, M.A. -- On Saturday afternoon, the Ephs of Williams College (15-17, NESCAC West 6-5) looked to keep their NESCAC playoff hopes alive with a home double header against conference foe Hamilton College (6-25, NESCAC West 2-9). The Ephs took both games and ensured their spot in the NESCAC playoffs for 2012 as their archrival Amherst College (23-7, NESCAC West 10-2) completed the weekend sweep of Wesleyan University (18-17, NESCAC West 6-6) this afternoon in Middletown, C.T.
Senior ace Harry Marino highlighted the first game, and the day, with his first game no-hitter. Tossing the first no-hitter in at least 17 years, Marino fanned 10 in his stellar outing. "It was special to throw a no-hitter on my final start at home," Marino reminisced after both wins. "We played great today, and we all stepped up when we needed to."
The Ephs certainly stepped up, as they took both games; the first game's score was 8-0, as senior Harry Marino fired the aforementioned no-hitter with 10 strikeouts. The Ephs' bats highlighted the second game as they stroked 12 hits in an 11-2 win. Senior Ben Oliva went 3 for 5 with a double, a steal, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Freshman Luke Pierce batted 3 for 4 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, and a steal as well. The Ephs' defense flashed the leather, recording no errors on the day, whereas Hamilton's defense rendered 7 (2 in the first game, 5 in the second). Junior sure-handed first baseman K.C. Murphy made a spectacular diving play on a hard hit ball in the top of the fifth by Hamilton's Joe Jensen. Murphy got up and flipped it to Marino, who covered first on the play, as this instance was closest for Marino to a hit on the day.
Other than the perfect game for Marino in the first game of the Saturday afternoon double header, the Ephs scored 2 runs in the first inning when Oliva singled up the middle and junior Taylor Mondshein followed suit with a double down the right field line. With runners on first and third, senior Cameron Susk drove a 2 RBI single to center but was thrown out trying to extend the hit in to a double.
The Ephs' bats were alive again in the bottom of the third when freshman Luke Pierce roped a double down the left field line. After advancing to third on junior Darren Hartwell's groundout, Pierce would go on to score by tagging up from third on sacrifice fly by Oliva. Susk slugged a double to score Mondshein who reached on a walk. Sophomore Matt Kastner then tripled to bring home Susk, and he would score on senior Stephen Maier's hit down the third base line. Maier reached on an error, then freshman Phil McGovern reached base on a single up the middle. K.C. Murphy batted a smacked a hard-hit single between the third baseman and shortstop to bring home Maier. To bring in the sixth run of the half-inning, Pierce grounded to the second baseman and used his speed to beat out the throw; McGovern scored on the play.
Freshman Alex Pachella got the nod in the first game for the Continentals going 5 1/3 innings giving up 8 runs (5 earned) on 9 hits. Pachella added 2 walks and 3 strikeouts to his performance, and he was charged with the loss. Sophomore Mike Affuso relieved in the sixth for 2/3 of an inning allowing a hit and tossing a strikeout.
Freshman Thomas Murphy tossed another great game for the Ephs as he started the second game. Murphy went 6 innings giving up 2 runs, 2 earned, on 8 hits. Murphy contributed five strikeouts and one walk to his outing, earning the win. Senior Matt Berdoff relieved in the seventh inning and earned the save. Berdoff went three innings allowing no hits, no runs, and tossed four strikeouts of his own.
In the bottom of the third, the Ephs put the first run of the second game when Luke Pierce smacked a two-out double down the left field line. Hartwell singled to center, scoring Pierce to give the Ephs a 1-0 lead. "I might get burned!" Phil McGovern yelled after high-fiving Luke Pierce who was returning to the dugout after scoring on junior Darren Hartwell's single through the right side. Luke Pierce has been outstanding at the plate in his last three games going 8 for 11 with 3 triples, 3 doubles, 4 RBI, and 6 runs scored!
The Continentals got themselves on the scoreboard as well, in the top of the fourth, when senior slugger Sam Choate tripled to left field. Junior Lukas Bridenbeck brought him in with a two-out double in the right-center gap, to tie the game at 1.
However, the Ephs would not let Hamilton think they were back in it, as they tallied three more runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Susk led off with a walk. Sophomore Marco Hernandez reached first on a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher who under-threw the first baseman, allowing Susk to reach third. With runners at the corners, McGovern brought home Susk when he smacked a grounder to the shortstop. McGovern got on base due to an error. Junior Jimmy Ray reached on an error as well when he hit a ball down the third base line, scoring Hernandez. Pierce hit another double down the right field line, bringing home McGovern, to give the Ephs a 4-1 lead after 4 innings.
The Continentals added another in the fifth when sophomore Colin Henneberger slugged a triple to lead off the inning. Junior Sam Fuentes brought him home with a single up the middle, to make the score 4-2. Fuentes and Bridenbeck led the Continentals in the second game, each with 2 hits, and both of them hit a double.
Freshman Ryan Crawford started for Hamilton in the second game going 6 1/3 innings allowing 9 runs, 4 earned, on 10 hits. Crawford tossed a strikeout and two walks as he was charged with the loss. Sophomore Tommy Moriarty relieved for 2/3 of an inning allowing a hit and no runs. Sophomore Joe Wagner threw next for 1/3 of an inning giving up 2 runs, 2 earned, on 1 hit. Wagner allowed 3 walks and added a strikeout. Freshman Andrew Jaffoni threw last for the Continentals and went 2/3 of an inning allowing no hits and no runs.
The Ephs added another two runs when Mondshein reached on another error in the bottom of the fifth and Susk drove him in with a double to left-center field. Hernandez belted an RBI single to bring home Susk.
Pierce led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Once again, Hartwell brought him home with an RBI single. Hartwell stole second, and he scored on Oliva's single to center. Oliva stole second and was brought home when Susk roped yet another RBI single to center field, making it a 9-2 ball game after six innings.
The Ephs added two more when Darren Hartwell drew a lead off walk, putting himself on base for Ben Oliva to drive him home once again with a triple to right center field. Oliva then scored himself on a passed ball.
The Ephs (15-17, NESCAC West 6-5) look to extend their five-game winning streak with a sweep of Hamilton College (6-25, NESCAC West 2-9) tomorrow afternoon, at 1PM, in Williamstown. "I am proud of how we played today. It was great baseball. We executed in the field, put the ball in play, and the pitching was outstanding," a pleased coach Bill Barrale remarked after the wins.
