Amber O'Connor '09 went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI but visiting Hamilton College dropped a New England Small College Athletic Conference West Division game in five innings, 11-3, against Amherst College at Amherst Softball Field on April 19.
Liz Reid '11 drove in the other run for Hamilton (5-22 overall, 1-8 NESCAC West). Reid is batting a team-high .371 average (26-for-70) for the Continentals this season. O'Connor has driven in a team-high 17 runs. She also scored the 79th run of her career to set a program record. Stephanie Dunn '03 held the old record of 78 runs.
O'Connor led off the game with a solo home run – her fourth of the season -- on the very first pitch she saw. Ashley White '09 followed with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kathryn Kroleski '09. Reid sent White home with a single to center field for an early 2-0 lead.
The Continentals' lead quickly disappeared as the host Lord Jeffs reeled off three runs in the bottom of the frame. Hamilton knotted the score at 3-3 in the top of the second when O'Connor drove in Rachel Rapoza '10 with a single to left field.
Amherst (18-6, 6-3) scored the game-winner in the bottom of the fourth and exploded for seven runs in the fifth to abruptly end the game due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Megan Coughlin '09 started in the circle for Hamilton and pitched through 4.1 innings. Coughlin allowed six earned runs on 12 hits and struck out three batters. Reliever Mandy Hyne '11 faced five batters and allowed two unearned runs on two hits, an error and a walk.
Hamilton travels to Union College for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 21.
