Hamilton College’s Gabe Klein '13 went 3-for-4 with a home run and five RBI in the second game of a NESCAC West Division doubleheader and Hamilton earned a split with Wesleyan University at Wesleyan’s Dresser Diamond on March 30.
The Continentals (7-9 overall, 1-2 NESCAC West) bounced back with a 7-6 win in the second game after they fell 10-6 to the Cardinals in Game 1. Hamilton takes a break from conference action with its home opener against SUNY Canton on Wednesday, April 3.
In the nightcap, Hamilton jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on. Cole Dreyfuss '16 moved to 3-0 on the year after he gave up five runs and struck out three over six innings. Joe Jensen '15 tripled, singled, drove in a run and stole a base. Jensen stole his 15th base, which tied the program’s single-season record.
Nick Taylor '15 and Colin Henneberger '14 had one hit and scored two runs apiece. Tommy Moriarty '14 didn't allow an earned run in three innings of relief for his third save in 12 appearance this season.
Matt Sorkin led the Cardinals with three base hits, including a double, and drove in a run. Andrew Yin and Sam Goodwin-Boyd finished with two hits apiece, and Jimmy Hill pitched five scoreless innings of relief.
With one out in the first, Henneberger and Lukas Bridenbeck '13 singled, and Klein blasted a three-run homer over the right field fence for a 3-0 Hamilton lead. The Continentals extended their lead to 4-0 in the second after Taylor walked and scored on Jensen's triple to left field.
Wesleyan (10-8, 2-1) got one back in the fourth, but Hamilton scored three runs in the top of the fifth for a 7-1 cushion. Donnie Cimino led off the inning with a walk and back-to-back singles by Goodwin-Boyd and Guy Davidson plated Cimino.
In the fifth, Taylor doubled to left and Jensen singled and Hamilton had runners at the corners. Taylor stole home, Henneberger reached base on an error and he and Jensen moved up one base on a double steal. After Bridenbeck grounded out, Klein lined a single that scored both runners.
The Cardinals chipped away at Hamilton's lead with four runs in the next two innings. Eric Jones singled and Sorkin's ground-rule double opened the fifth. Andrew Yin drove in Jones with a single and Sorkin scored on Cimino’s ground out. With one out in the sixth, Steve Moran singled, Chris Bonti drew a walk and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Sorkin’s single drove in Moran, and an error on the play allowed Bonti to score and make it 7-5.
Hamilton nearly added more runs in the top of the eighth after one-out singles by Klein and Steve LaRochelle '14 and a walk to Brian Ferrell '16. But Hill got the next two batters to fly out and end the inning.
Wesleyan made things interesting in the ninth when Cimino reached on an error and made his way to second base. Goodwin-Boyd traded places with him on his double to center and it was 7-6. A ground out by Davidson moved the pinch runner to third, but Moriarty got the last out on a ground out to second.
In the opener, Wesleyan took the lead for good with a six-run third inning. Davidson was a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Goodwin-Boyd collected two hits and Sorkin, Cimino and Bonti drove in two runs each. Gavin Pittore threw three scoreless innings of relief for the save.
Henneberger went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Jensen ended up with two hits and an RBI. LaRochelle drove in two runs.
Hamilton fell behind 1-0 in the first but responded with four runs -- all with two outs -- in the top of the third for a 4-1 lead. The Continentals loaded the bases on singles by Henneberger and Jensen, and an error allowed Sam Fuentes '13 to get on base. Bridenbeck drew a walk that plated Henneberger and Klein reached on an error that allowed Jensen to score. A two-run single by LaRochelle completed the scoring.
Wesleyan answered with six runs in the bottom half of the inning for a 7-4 advantage. The first five batters reached base safely. Cimino was hit by a pitch and Goodwin-Boyd and Davidson both singled. Ben Hoynes walked and forced in a run, and Moran's single drove in Goodwin-Boyd. Bonti’s fielder’s choice sent another runner home and tied the score at 4-4.
Jones' walk loaded the bases again and Sorkin was hit by a pitch and scored Hoynes. Following the second out, Cimino’s two-run single finished the rally.
The Continentals kept it close with two runs in the top of the fourth. The Cardinals matched that output with two runs in the bottom of the inning and added an insurance run in the sixth.
Singles by Tyler Reinhold '15 and Henneberger and Henneberger's stolen base put runners on second and third. Jensen singled in Reinhold and Fuentes’ sacrifice fly plated Henneberger.
Wesleyan loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth on a single by Davidson and a walk to Hoynes, and Moran reached on an error. Walks to Bonti and Sorkin allowed two runs to score for a 9-6 advantage. Bonti led of the sixth with another walk. Jake Katofsky pinch ran and made his way around to score on Yin’s single for the final margin.
