SPRINGFIELD, MA. – The Williams College baseball team dropped their opening doubleheader to Springfield on Sunday afternoon, 6-7 and 3-8.
Game 1
The Pride struck first in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single up the middle to take an early 1–0 lead. Williams answered right away in the top of the second, plating two runs to move in front.
Ryan Nakajima opened the inning with a double to right center before
Will Scott followed with a single up the middle to move Nakajima to third.
Hank Jacobus then delivered an RBI to bring Nakajima home and put Scott in scoring position.
The bottom of the lineup continued the rally as
Dave Mosrie tripled to right center, driving in Scott and giving the Ephs a 2–1 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
Springfield responded with a sacrifice fly to even the score at 2–2 entering the third inning.
Oliver Rey led off the third with a double to left center, and a fly out advanced him into scoring position. Nakajima later reached on an error by the second baseman, allowing Rey to score and giving Williams a 3–2 advantage.
The Pride continued to push back, using an RBI single up the middle to tie the game once again at three.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Williams regained the lead in the fifth.
Ben Swank started the inning with a double, and Rey followed with a walk to put two runners on.
Luca Lopetrone laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought Swank home while advancing Rey to second, giving the Ephs a 4–3 lead.
Springfield answered again in the bottom half of the inning, scoring to tie the game at 4–4.
Williams pulled ahead in the sixth after
Will Scott and
Lucas Asanovic were both hit by pitches to open the inning. A ground ball advanced the runners, and two balks allowed Asanovic and Jacobus to score, putting the Ephs in front 6–4.
In the bottom of the sixth, however, the Pride rallied for three runs to secure a 7–6 victory in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader.
Game 2
Springfield struck first in game two, using a sacrifice fly to take an early 1–0 lead. Williams answered in the following inning as
Hank Jacobus doubled to drive in
Ryan Nakajima and even the score at 1–1.
The Pride pulled away in the middle innings, scoring five runs across the second and third to build a 6–1 advantage.
Williams chipped away in the fifth when
Marcus Burrell II singled to right field, bringing
Dave Mosrie home and cutting the deficit to 6–2.
Springfield added two more runs over the fifth and sixth innings to extend its lead and secure the game two victory. The Ephs managed one more run in the top of the sixth when Nakajima circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
Williams will return to action on Sunday, March 15th, when they face Brandeis University at 1:00 p.m. at Bard College.
