Ephmen split doubleheader with MIT
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA - The Williams College
baseball team (23-10) had their final weekend doubleheader of the
2009 regular season and split with MIT on Saturday afternoon, with
the Engineers taking Game 1 5-4, and the Ephs winning Game 2 3-2.
Saturday's twin bill was the final action for the Ephs before
tomorrow's crucial NESCAC showdown with Amherst.
"MIT is a good team with some very good players," remarked Eph
head coach Bill Barrale. "They made a lot of great defensive plays
to get out of trouble and it was nice to come away with at least
one win against them today."
The Ephs started strong in Game 1 as two RBI groundouts by junior
Al Mathews and sophomore James Allison gave the Ephs an early 2-1
lead. In the third, however, sophomore starter Wilson Barr would
run into some trouble as the Engineers scored three times to take a
4-2 advantage.
The score would not change until the sixth, when junior Robin
Allemand (1-3, 2 RBI) came up big with a two out, bases loaded
single that plated two runs. The Ephs, unfortunately, could not
maintain the good fortune, as MIT took advantage of a leadoff
double and a throwing error to score the game's final run in the
top of the seventh. In the bottom half of the inning, the Ephs were
retired in order to clinch the one run defeat.
The Engineers would continue their strong play in the second game,
as they held the Ephs scoreless through four innings, and scattered
two runs (one earned) off junior starter Paul Burgdorf.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Ephs got something going
offensively as Mathews (1-2, one RBI) beat out an infield hit that
drove in a run. Trailing 2-1, in the bottom of the sixth (of a
seven inning game), senior Zach Stone laced a double over the right
fielder's head. Senior pinch runner Barrett Allison then stole
third and eventually scored on junior Jim Entwisle's (1-2, one RBI)
RBI groundout.
With the score tied at two, first year Chase Davenport doubled and
was taken out of the game for first year pinch runner Jamal
Johnson. Then, Allemand (2-2, one run, one RBI) capped off his
impressive day with the game winning RBI single to left field.
Burgdorf (7 IP, 1 ER, 5 K) would retire the side in the seventh to
seal the doubleheader spilt.
"Burgdorf pitched a great game and we needed him for that second
game," said Barrale. "Allemand had been struggling a little lately,
but we know he has a ton of ability…. It was just a matter
of timing at the plate and he found it when we needed it most."
Rounding out the numbers for the Ephs in Game 1 were senior Taylor
Mikell (2-2, one run), and first years Stephen Maier (2-3, one run)
and Cameron Susk (1-4, one run).
After completing a stretch of five games in five days, the Ephs
now look forward to tomorrow's game versus Amherst, live from
Wachonah Park in Pittsfield at 1 PM. The game can be seen live on
ESPN360.com.
