Davenport, FL - Game two of the double header began with some fielding turmoil, but the Ephs were eventually triumphant. After a late inning comeback, the Williams Men's baseball team edged out the Fredonia State Blue Devils 8-7, improving their record to 3-1.
Henry Juan led the Ephs in RBIs with three – collecting all three on a go ahead, bases clearing missile to the right center field fence.
Fredonia State came out swinging in the top of the first, and a few defensive miscues by the Ephs allowed two runs to come across. Sophomore
Max Hart was on the bump for the Purple and Gold, and although he faced much adversity, Hart was able to maintain his composure — lasting three innings. Hart was stoic in the dugout between innings, insisting that the team would be able to come back if the group locked in. His intensity and anchoring presence was key as the game went on. Freshman
Teddy Massingham came in for relief in the third inning, and followed Hart's lead, striking out two of his first three batters. Massingham was highly effective in the use of his forceful fastball and slider combination.
Down 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth,
Jon Singleton smacked a flare down the right field line for a triple. The hit sent a major jolt of electricity through the dugout, and Singleton was greeted as a hero when he scored on
Dave Mosrie's follow up single. The big Eph energy at the plate was sustained into the next inning when leadoff,
Mike Giove, wore a pitch in the back and
Brendan Stannard reached base on a walk. Then came the hot bat of freshman second baseman
Sasha Palma — Palma punched a ground ball through the six-hole that scored Giove, and the energy continued to grow. Next batter, defensive substitute,
Cole Whitehouse, smoked a double to right that scored Palma. Following Whitehouse, Mosrie and Cohn both reached base safely, and
Henry Juan sent them all home with a three-RBI double to give the Ephs an 8-7 lead.
First-year
Luca Lopetrone was the man to shut the door in the top of the seventh, forcing two soft ground balls and a resounding final strikeout. After the game, coach Barrale applauded the team's grit and resilience. "A lot of things went wrong for us, but we pulled it out. We're writing our own story."
The Ephs look to continue their hot streak on Monday in a nine inning contest against Knox College.
