Ephs Split Road Doubleheader Against Amherst

Scores:
Game 1: Williams 0, Amherst 2
Game 2: Williams 3, Amherst 2
 
Location: Amherst, MA
Records: Williams 16-13, Amherst 18-7
 
The Short Story: Game 1 remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Mammoths rallied to score two runs and win the game. The Ephs salvaged a split, however, after an RBI groundout by second baseman Rachel Neugart '22 broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning of Game 2. Williams benefitted from standout performances from pitchers Elyse Chan '25 and Maya Hartman '22, who combined to allow just one earned run.
 
Coach's Take: "It's always good to win, no matter who or when. [Both pitchers] pitched great, especially Elyse after she got hit hard yesterday. We hit four or more balls that would've been out of the park at Cole and given us a whole different feeling. We continue to learn a lot, inning by inning."  – Kris Herman
 
How it Happened

• In Game 1, the Mammoths loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the first against Chan, but Eph shortstop Ronni Ramos '24 caught a shallow fly ball and threw out Amherst left fielder Megan Taketa at home. Catcher Jess Butler lined out to center field to end the threat.
• Chan pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam once again in the fifth on a lineout to left, a forceout at home, and a strikeout of Amherst right fielder Dani Torres Werra. But the Mammoths finally broke through in the sixth, scoring two runs on an RBI single by third baseman Sadie Pool and an RBI groundout by second baseman America Rangel. The Ephs put runners on first and second in the seventh, but couldn't score.
• In the third inning of Game 2, Williams broke a ten-inning scoring drought with an RBI single by first baseman Kelly McGuigan '24 and a sacrifice fly by Neugart to take a 2-0 lead.
• Amherst got on the board with an RBI groundout by shortstop Autumn Lee in the fourth, and tied the game in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Pool. In the top of the seventh, however, first baseman Kelly McGuigan '24 hit a one-out triple to right field and scored on a groundout by Neugart to put the Ephs back on top.

• Taketa continued her hot streak in Game 1, going 3-for-4, just as she did in yesterday's Amherst win. The Ephs, however, held the Mammoths' star hitless in three at-bats in Game 2.
• Three of Amherst's four combined runs were unearned, including both of the Mammoths' runs in Game 2. Pool's sacrifice fly that tied Game 2 was set up by a fly ball off the glove of Williams center fielder Alyana Granados that put runners on second and third for the Mammoths with just one out.
• In contrast to Amherst's 11-5 win yesterday, both teams pitched very well. Chan gave up 10 hits across both games, but limited the Mammoths to just one earned run, while Hartman pitched five innings of one-run ball in Game 2. For the Mammoths, Talia Bloxham threw six scoreless innings in Game 1.

• On Monday at 3:30PM, the Ephs will play a doubleheader at home against Western Connecticut State, starting a seven-game homestand to finish the regular season.