Hamilton College split a doubleheader against host Middlebury College in New England Small College Athletic Conference West Division action played at Forbes Field on April 25.
Gideon Clark '09 led Hamilton (12-18 overall, 3-8 NESCAC) with two hits and four RBI in a 9-7 win in the seven-inning opener. Wes Mayberry '11 had three hits and scored three runs, and Justin Atwood '11 had two hits, two runs scored and drove in one run. Mayberry broke the team record for hits in one season with his 43rd. John Porges '07 recorded 42 in 2005. Michael Matt '11 singled twice.
Middlebury (13-15, 3-8) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning and led 6-1 after five. Mayberry singled and later scored on a wild pitch in the second. The visitors rallied to score four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings for the come-from-behind win. A two-run single by Clark with the bases loaded in the sixth inning cut the Panther lead to 6-5.
Two runs were forced home on walks to the Continentals' Grady Vigneau' 10 and Pat Gennaco '11 in the top of the seventh to even the score at 7-7. Clark singled to right field to bring in the go-ahead run in Atwood and an insurance tally (Vigneau). Hamilton held Middlebury scoreless in the bottom of the frame after a leadoff fouble for the win.
Michael Caruso '12 picked up the win in relief as he allowed one run on three hits, walked one and struck out one in two innings. Jake Saidman '09 got the start and pitched five innings. Saidman allowed four earned runs on seven hits, walked three and fanned four.
Clark, Sam Choate '12 and Alex Augustyn '10 each picked up three hits, but Hamilton dropped the nine-inning second game 8-6. Augustyn cracked his 10th double, which is tied for the team lead.
Donovan Flint '11 took the loss as he pitched 4.2 innings. He allowed five earned runs on four hits, walked five and struck out five. Atwood was impressive in relief as he surrendered one hit and no runs in two innings. He walked none and fanned two.
Hamilton scratched across runs in the second and fourth on a double play and a bases-loaded walk to Atwood. The Continentals plated three runs in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the inning.
The Panthers exploded for five runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good at 6-5. The hosts added two more runs in the seventh for an 8-5 lead.
Hamilton managed a run in the top of the ninth as Choate singled to left and Clark singled to center. Augustyn greeted the reliever with a single to center to load the bases for Mayberry, who hit a sacrifice fly to right to plate Choate. A game-ending groundout left runners stranded at second and third.
Hamilton plays a non-conference game at SUNYIT on Tuesday, April 28.
