Ephs Come Up Short Against Middlebury in Doubleheader

MIDDLEBURY, VT- Down by one in the bottom of the 6^th inning, Andrew Ashley drove the ball into left center, bringing in two runners, including the winning run to lift the Panthers over the Ephs 8-7 in the first game of a doubleheader.
 
Williams put up a fight in a Game 1 that went back and forth as each team took turns claiming the lead. The Ephs were the first to score with a Danny Lynch single sending Mike Giove home to give Williams the 1-0 lead in the first.
 
Middlebury quickly answered in the bottom of the inning with a three-run shot from Alec Ritch that put Middlebury up 3-1.
 
Lynch responded once again in the third with another single that scored Giove and narrowed the lead to 3-2. Taking advantage of a couple of wild pitches, Lynch and Eric Pappas were able to advance bases. Pappas then stole home on another passed ball, evening the score to 3 all. One more wild pitch allowed Lynch to get home and the Ephs grabbed the 4-3 lead.
 
Middlebury looked like they could tie it in the bottom of the inning when a few walks loaded the bases with zero outs. However, first baseman Billy Shea scooped a grounder and turned two while preventing the third base runner from reaching home. Chris Borter walked in the following at-bat, putting runners at the corners and Lucas Flemming at the plate. Again, Shea made a great defensive play, catching Flemming's foul ball, ending the inning and avoiding any runs from scoring.
 
The Ephs added to the lead in the fourth beginning with Kedar Veeraswamy, Shea, and Giove all getting on base. With one out, Lynch hit a groundball to second where the play was made, letting Veeraswamy score from third. A passed ball scored Shea making it 6-3.
 
With two outs, Tyler Spiezio stepped into the batter's box and connected down the leftfield line, sending Lynch home, putting the Ephs in front 7-3.
 
Middlebury chipped away in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from Ritch.
 
In the 5^th, Middlebury's Kyle McCausland scored on a wild pitch that closed the Ephs' lead to 7-5. Jack Stolpher singled up the middle, bringing in Ashley from third, making it 7-6.
 
The game winning run came in the 6^th inning when Ashley connected for a 2 RBI single that put the Panthers ahead by 1.
 
With George Goldstein relieving Charlie Kutz in the 7^th, the Ephs were unable to score, and Middlebury earned the first win of the day 8-7.
 
JH Vaughan got the start for the Ephs in Game 2 and Williams once again grabbed the early lead.
 
An error in the second inning, allowed to Giove to reach first base and advance to second while Shea and Matthew Brown reached home to put the Ephs up 2-0.
 
The Panthers' bats got hot in the third starting with a Mitchell Schroeder double that scored one. Ashley connected for a 2 RBI double to give Middlebury the 3-2 lead. Stolper added another run with a single to right center that brought in Ashley and made it 4-2.
 
Middlebury added another run in the 4^th to build the lead to 5-2 after Max Hart relieved Vaughan on the mound. Sawyer Duarte doubled down the leftfield line and reached third on a ground out from Beau Root and proceeded to steal home.
 
Hart then shutout the Middlebury bats for the next two innings before Jacob Martin relieved him.
 
Middlebury was able to add to their lead in the 7^th with a Chris Borter homerun. Two errors from the Ephs brought Flemming home, making it a 7-2 ball game.
 
Williams responded in the 8^th when Danny Lynch ripped a hit up the middle, bringing in Pappas and putting the Ephs within 4.
 
However, Middlebury added another run an Ashley RBI single to put the Ephs behind by 4 again.
 
In the 9^th, Ryan Young doubled to left center, allowing Giove to reach home. Young eventually reached home himself on a wild pitch to make the score 8-5.
 
Despite a few runs in the 9^th, Williams was unable to mount a comeback and the Panthers preserved their lead to secure the win.
 
Although losing both, the Ephs put up a strong fight against a very good Middlebury team while missing a few key players. The depth of Williams squad has continued to shine through as players have continuously stepped up and performed under pressure.
 
Williams will hope to improve their 7-13 record when they take on Union College (9-12) in Schenectady, NY this Tuesday at 6pm.