Ephs Hold Hamilton Hitless En Route To Sweep
Photo by Mark Baer
The Ephs swept Hamilton this weekend and earned a spot in the NESCAC Playoffs. For more photos, see the slideshow here. |
Then on Sunday, the Ephs completed the sweep with a 6-4 victory.
The Ephs took both Saturday games and earned their spot in the NESCAC playoffs when their archrival Amherst College (23-7, NESCAC West 10-2) completed the weekend sweep of Wesleyan University (18-17, NESCAC West 6-6) in Middletown, Conn.
Senior ace Harry Marino highlighted the first game, and the day, with a no-hitter. Tossing the first no-hitter in at least 17 years, Marino fanned 10 in his stellar outing.
“It was special to throw a no-hitter on my final start at home," Marino reminisced after both wins. “We played great today, and we all stepped up when we needed to.”
The Ephs certainly stepped up, as they took both games; the first game's score was 8-0, as senior Harry Marino fired the aforementioned no-hitter with 10 strikeouts. The Ephs’ bats highlighted the second game as they stroked 12 hits in an 11-2 win.
Senior Ben Oliva went 3-for-5 with a double, a steal, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Freshman Luke Pierce batted 3-for-4 with two doubles.
The Ephs’ defense flashed the leather, recording no errors on the day, whereas Hamilton’s defense rendered seven total. Junior sure-handed first baseman K.C. Murphy made a spectacular diving play on a hard hit ball in the top of the fifth by Hamilton's Joe Jensen. Murphy got up and flipped it to Marino, who covered first on the play, as this instance was closest for Marino to a hit on the day.
Other than the perfect game for Marino in the first game of the Saturday afternoon double header, the Ephs scored two runs in the first inning when Oliva singled up the middle and junior Taylor Mondshein followed suit with a double down the right field line. With runners on first and third, senior Cameron Susk drove a two-RBI single to center but was thrown out trying to extend the hit in to a double.
Freshman Alex Pachella got the nod in the first game for the Continentals going 5 1/3 innings, giving up eight runs on nine hits.
Freshman Thomas Murphy tossed another great game for the Ephs in game two. Murphy went six innings, giving up two runs on eight hits. Murphy added five strikeouts and one walk to his outing, earning the win. Senior Matt Berdoff relieved in the seventh inning and earned the save. Berdoff went three innings allowing no hits, no runs, and tossed four strikeouts of his own.
Sophomore Steve Marino started on a windy Sunday afternoon, throwing for five innings. He allowed four runs — one earned — on nine hits and a walk, while adding a two strikeouts. Senior Dan Grossman relieved him in the sixth and tossed three scoreless innings. Junior Lucas Casso got two outs in the ninth before junior Jimmy Ray came in for the save.
The Ephs managed to score six runs on Hamilton's starter J. Jay Lane. Lane pitched 7 2/3 innings and allowed eight hits and three walks.
The Ephs travel to Maine next weekend, as they play Sunday, May 6, at Bates before playing against Trinity College (26-9, NESCAC East 10-2) in Hartford, Conn. to play in the NESCAC tournament on Friday, May 11.
