Ephs drop pair to Gustavus Adolphus

CHANDLER, AZ. -- Not even an unbelievable eight-run rally in its last at-bat could prevent the Williams College baseball team from a double dip Monday as the Ephs fell 14-12 and 9-6 to Gustavus Adolphus at Snedigar Park.

Williams is now 0-4. The Ephs face Calvin in Mesa today beginning at 3 p.m., MST.

In Monday's first game, Williams trailed Gustavus 12-4 entering the bottom of the seventh, scheduled to be the Ephs final at-bat. They proceeded to score eight times in the frame to tie the game, but eventually fell when Gustavus pushed across two runs in the ninth inning.

Junior Al Mathews was 4 for 5 with 4 RBI in the loss, while Robin Allemand went 2 for 5 and Chad Brown hit 2 for 5 with 2 RBI.

First-year Ben Oliva got the seventh inning rally started with a single. Stephen Maier was hit by a pitch. Allemand reached on an error. Mathews lined a two-run single. Pat Barren then drew a walk before Brown grounded an RBI-single. Zach Stone singled to set up James Allison's sacrifice fly. Jim Entwisle then came through with an RBI-single that made it 8-7. After a groundout, Maier drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

First-year Matt Berdoff took the loss for Williams, allowing two runs, both earned, on one hit and two walks over two innings. He struck out three. In all, four first-years took to the mound for the Ephs, all making their collegiate debuts: Ed Nadel, Cameron Susk and Evan Oleson joined Berdoff.

Senior co-captain Ben Horwitz got the start, lasting three frames and allowing six hits and seven runs, four earned. He walked three and struck out two.

In the nightcap, The Ephs broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the fourth and added three more in the fifth, but Gustavus answered with three of its own in the fourth and four in the fifth to take the lead for good.

Junior Tom Coleman took the loss, allowing six hits and seven runs, three earned, while walking no one and striking out one over 4 2/3 innings. Stone pitched the final 1 2/3, giving up two runs, both earned, on two hits.

Allemand was 2 for 4 with a double, as was Barren. Mathews was also 2 for 4. Taylor Mikell had a two-run single in the three-run fourth inning.