John Porges '07 went 3-for-5 and drove in the tie-breaking run in the top of the sixth inning to help lead Hamilton College to a 6-5 non-conference win against SUNY Institute of Technology at DeLutis Field in Rome, N.Y., on April 11.
Hamilton (5-5-1 overall) was playing its first game since March 24, when the Continentals wrapped up a 10-game trip in Florida. SUNYIT (5-11) was supposed to host Wednesday's game, but the Wildcats' field was unplayable.
Porges finished with two RBI. He also stole two bases to bring his total this year to eight. Andrew D'Amico '08 recorded two hits and two RBI. Pat McGarry '07 drove in a run and John Moore '07 scored twice.
Hamilton's relief pitchers were outstanding as they allowed just three hits and one walk in seven-plus innings of work. Kevin Coppola '07 replaced starter Bryden Considine '08 with two outs in the second inning and a runner at third. Coppola struck out the next batter to end the inning. Coppola went on to pick up his fourth career victory as he allowed two runs on three hits in three and one-third innings.
Ben Tomaszewski '10 struck out two in two scoreless innings and Max Foster '10 picked up his first collegiate save by retiring all of the six batters he faced in the eighth and ninth.
The Continentals scored three runs in the top of the first inning on three hits and a walk. D'Amico's two-out, two-run single was the key hit in the inning. SUNYIT took a 4-3 lead after three innings, but Hamilton took advantage of three walks to score two runs in the fourth. Porges drove in a run on a fielder's choice and was part of a double steal that scored Moore.
The Wildcats tied the score with a single run in the bottom of the inning. However, the Continentals came back with the winning run in the sixth inning. Moore led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a passed ball and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gideon Clark '09. Porges followed with a single to drive in Moore.
Hamilton travels to Wesleyan University for a New England Small College Athletic Conference West Division game on Friday, April 13, at 4 p.m.
Posted April 11, 2007
