Hamilton College dropped two close games to Wesleyan University in a New England Small College Athletic Conference West Division doubleheader at Hamilton’s Royce Field on April 10.
The Continentals (5-16 overall, 0-6 NESCAC West) lost the first game, 6-3 in nine innings. Wesleyan (19-6, 7-2) edged Hamilton 5-4 in Game 2.
Max Foster ’10 started Game 1 on the mound for the Continentals. Foster pitched six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, while striking out four and walking two. Dan Kroening ‘11 came in to pitch the seventh, and Alex Augustyn ‘10 came in during the eighth, finished the game and took the loss. Augustyn is 1-1 this season.
Max Currier ‘10 finished Game 1 with one double, one single and three RBI. Grady Vigneau ‘10 had two hits and scored one run. Justin Atwood ‘11, Wes Mayberry ‘11 and Dan Peters ‘13 each recorded one single in the first game.
Wesleyan scored two runs in the first inning. Hamilton responded with three runs in the bottom of the second for a 3-2 lead. Currier hit a double and was thrown out advancing to third, but he drove in Atwood, Vigneau and Lukas Bridenbeck ‘13. The Cardinals scored the tying run in the top of the fifth, and sent the game into extra innings. Wesleyan scored three runs in the top of the ninth to earn the win.
In Game 2, Andrew Perkowski ‘10 started on the hill and took the loss (0-4). Perkowski allowed three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings. Kevin Prindle ’13, Nzaba Fonseca-Sabune ‘12, Michael Caruso ‘12 and Stephen Wright ‘12 all made relief appearances.
Mayberry finshed with one single, one double, one run scored and one RBI. Vigneau recorded two singles and scored one run. Augustyn also had two singles and scored twice. Atwood hit a double and drove in a run. Joe Buicko ‘11 recorded one single.
Wesleyan took a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Hamilton answered with two runs in the fifth. Augustyn singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mayberry then doubled to drive in the first run. Mayberry moved to third on a single by Vigneau. Vigneau went to second on a wild pitch, and Mayberry scored to make it a 3-2 game.
The Cardinals scored once in the sixth and once in the seventh for a 5-2 lead. Hamilton rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but could not get the tying run. Augustyn singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Augustyn scored from third on a wild pitch. Vigneau singled and Atwood followed with a double to drive in the run to make the score 5-4. Buicko grounded out to third base to end the game.
The Continentals host SUNY Institute of Technology for a non-conference game on Sunday, April 11.
