BRUNSWICK, Maine — In a hard-fought NESCAC Championship final, the Williams College Ephs came out swinging but ultimately fell to Middlebury 10–6 on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up their inspiring postseason run one win short of the title. The Ephs built an early 6–2 lead with explosive offense in the second and third innings, but were undone by a late-game surge from the Panthers.
Williams got on the board in the second inning after Luca Lopetrone and Ryan Nakajima strung together back-to-back singles. After a sacrifice bunt from Hank Jacobus, a deep sacrifice fly by Oliver Rey plated Lopetrone to give the Ephs a 1–0 lead.
After Middlebury responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame, the Ephs answered with a thunderous third inning. Ben Swank doubled to lead off, and Marcus Burrell II followed with a towering two-run homer to right field to reclaim the lead. Not to be outdone, Henry Juan went back-to-back with a solo shot to make it 4–2. The inning didn't stop there — a pitch hit Lopetrone who then stole second, and scored on a triple by Nakajima, who would later come home on a passed ball to stretch the lead to 6–2.
Nakajima finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple, capping off an impressive weekend at the plate. Swank also tallied three hits in the lead off spot, while Burrell and Juan's home runs helped ignite the Ephs' dugout.
Matt Keene battled through traffic in the first four innings on the mound, while Nate Rosner and Jake Jeffries tried to hold off a potent Middlebury lineup. The turning point came in the bottom of the seventh, when a grand slam from Carter Chi was followed by a two-run homer from Kyle McCausland, giving the Panthers their first lead of the day, 10–6. Despite the blow, Michael Amendola finished the game with a clean eighth, continuing his reliable work from the bullpen.
Though Middlebury reliever Dylan Knightly held the Ephs hitless over the final three innings, they never stopped competing. Williams recorded 10 hits and showed consistent energy throughout, pushing, pressing, and refusing to go quietly.
Eph head coach Bill Barrale was extremely proud of his team's effort, saying, " So proud of this group. They fought hard all season. Glad the seniors got to go out making a playoff run, and excited how the young guys will grow from this opportunity to play in a championship game."
With the loss, the Ephs end their season at 22–15, having strung together a thrilling postseason run that included comeback wins, dominant pitching, and resilient at-bats. They finish as NESCAC runners-up, a testament to their growth, toughness, and team chemistry.
