Troy, NY - In their first game of the season, the Williams College baseball team secured a commanding 22-1 victory over RPI. This triumph not only showcased the Ephs prowess on the field but also set a tone of dominance early in the season.
The game began under clear skies, with both teams eager to establish momentum. The first two innings hinted at a tightly contested battle, with both Williams and RPI's pitchers, Nick Skiera for the Ephs and M. Nelson for RPI, successfully keeping the game scoreless despite early threats. However, Williams quickly shifted gears in the third inning, unleashing an offensive powerhouse that RPI found impossible to contain.
Leading the charge for Williams was Henry Juan, who doubled to right field in the early stages, setting the tone for what was to become a historic offensive display. Juan's performance, alongside key hits from Will Scott and Ryan Nakajima, ignited a scoring spree that saw the Ephs rack up an astonishing 17 runs in the third inning alone. This offensive onslaught was highlighted by strategic hits, disciplined walks, and capitalizing on RPI's errors.
Williams head coach Bill Barrale when talking about the third inning said, "I've never seen anything like that really. We put together some great at bats, hit the ball hard and swung at strikes which resulted in a big inning."Â
Mike Giove, consistently a key player, continued his impressive form by consistently getting on base, he finished the game with 3 runs scored. Owen McHugh and Luca Lopetro also contributed significantly, with McHugh's ground-rule double and Lopetro's resilience at the bat pushing the Ephs further ahead.
Pitching for Williams underwent strategic rotations, with Eric Gage handing over duties to JP Wong and later, Owen 'Money' McHugh stepping in to maintain the defensive stronghold. McHugh, a dual sport first year made a name for himself this fall as the Ephs football starting quarterback. This pitching strategy effectively neutralized RPI's hitters, keeping them at bay throughout the game.
RPI finally got the goose egg off the board in the 5th inning following  Kameron Levesque's triple and subsequent score on a wild pitch. Defensive solidity was equally matched by offensive brilliance, as evidenced in the sixth inning when Henry Juan homered to right center, bringing in two more runs.
In the seventh inning, first year Marcus Burrell stepped up to the plate in his first collegiate at bat and hit a home run to right center. The game concluded with Teddy 'Boom Boom' Massingham taking to the mound, closing out the final inning with precise pitching that left RPI unable to alter the course of the game. This victory was not just a display of Williams' offensive capabilities but also a testament to their strategic pitching changes and defensive tenacity.
Williams College Baseball team's emphatic win over RPI is a clear statement of intent for the season ahead. The Ephs start the season off 1-0 and look to keep the ball rolling as they head to Florida for the duration of Spring break. The Ephs face Bowdoin College in a double header March, 17th in Davenport, Florida.
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