Amherst College starting pitchers allowed two runs in 13 innings and the Lord Jeffs swept Hamilton College in a NESCAC West Division doubleheader at Amherst's Memorial Field on March 31.
Amherst (10-4 overall, 3-0 NESCAC West) took the first game, 8-0, and won the nightcap by a score of 6-2. The Lord Jeffs have posted nine straight wins over the Continentals.
In the opener, Cook did not allow a run on two hits, walked two batters and fanned five in six innings. Kevin Heller led Amherst offensively with three hits, including a double, and three runs batted in. Heller also scored two runs, and Alex Hero collected three hits.
Gabe Klein '13 and Steve LaRochelle '14 recorded the only hits for the Continentals. Starting pitcher JJay Lane '15 surrenderd six earned runs in 5.1 innings of work.
Amherst scored at least one run in each of the first four innings. Heller reached first via a two-out single and later scored on a Hamilton error to make it 1-0 after the first inning. The Lord Jeffs scored two runs in the bottom of the second and one in the bottom of the third. Heller's two-run double in the bottom of the fourth made it 6-0. Amherst tacked on another run in the fourth inning and one more in the sixth to seal the seven-inning win.
In Game 2, Fred Shepard scattered five hits and two earned runs over seven innings. Shepard walked just one batter and struck out 10. Heller and Hero each doubled and finished with a pair of hits, and Brendon Hardin scored two runs for the Lord Jeffs. Nolan Stewart smashed a solo home run to left field in the sixth inning.
Sam Choate '12 led the Continentals' offense with the ninth home run of his Hamilton career. Choate is tied for fifth on the team's all-time list. LaRochelle picked up two hits and Klein smacked a double. Sam Fuentes '13 and Lukas Bridenbeck '13 had the other two Hamilton hits. Starting pitcher Alex Pachella '15 allowed six hits and one earned run in five innings. Pachella walked two batters and struck out three.
Amherst jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Hero and Taiki Kasuga singled to lead off and one batter later, Mike Samela lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Hero.
Hamilton (3-15, 0-3) tied the score with a run in the top of the third inning. Klein led off with a double to center field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Fuentes. Thomas Merriman '15 followed with an RBI groundout to plate Klein.
The Lord Jeffs took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Heller led off with a single and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Thomas Wheeler. Choate's blast in the top of the sixth inning pulled the Continentals even again at 2-2.
Amherst took the lead for good with a three-run sixth inning. Stewart led off with a home run to left field. Hardin walked, Tyler Jacobs was hit by a pitch and Cook followed with an RBI single to score Hardin. Heller capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to score Jacobs. The Lord Jeffs added a run in the seventh to close the scoring.
Hamilton hosts SUNY Institute of Technology for a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 7, at 1 p.m.
Help us provide an accessible education, offer innovative resources and programs, and foster intellectual exploration.