Williamstown, Ma- After splitting the doubleheader on Sunday, the Williams College Baseball team takes its first conference series in a thrilling 9-8 comeback victory over Wesleyan.
Taking the mound for Williams in the home opener was junior Eric Gage who gave a valiant effort through 4 innings, giving up 5 earned. For Wesleyan, junior AJ Karabenick got the start and pitched 2 innings, giving up 3 earned.
It was Wesleyan sophomore Christian Boudreau who struck first after stealing second and advancing to third on an error. He was sent home by Kyle Sylvester. Williams sophomore Henry Juan responded with a home run that sent Mike Giove and Jokob Cohn home. Williams ended the first up 3-1.
Wesleyan would score 6 unanswered runs until the bottom of the fifth when the Eph's bats would come back to life, scoring 3 runs making it a one-score game. Wesleyan would pick up an insurance run in the top of the eighth putting them up 8-6.
The highlight of the game would come at the bottom of the eighth when senior Cole Whitehouse hit a clutch double to center field, sending Henry Juan and Mike Giove home putting Williams up 9-8. This hit would ultimately win the game for the Ephs.
Eph's freshman Luca Lopetrone finished the game out in the bottom of the ninth in a fiery closing performance. Young Lopetrone would complete the game with a gutsy full-count changeup, resulting in a sweeping swing and miss.
Coach Barrale praised the team after the win saying, "It was a true team effort. We ended up using six different pitchers and everybody gave us their all. We were down 7-3 and never gave in."
