May 9, 2004 

HARTFORD, CT - Amherst College rookie designated hitter Mark Mazzone (Chicago, IL) plated senior Paul Whiting (Mission Viejo, CA) with a game-winning RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday, giving the Jeffs (19-16) a dramatic 5-4 win over archrival Williams College in the final game of the NESCAC Postseason Championship Tournament, hosted by Trinity College. The victory afforded Amherst its first-ever conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, with regional play set to begin on Thursday, May 20, at an on-campus site yet to be determined. 

Amherst entered the final frame with what seemed to be a commanding 4-0 lead, thanks to an outstanding pitching performance by senior co-captain Duncan Webb (Lynn, MA), who held Williams scoreless on only six hits through the first eight innings. However, in the top of the ninth, Williams senior Jabe Bergeron (Chesterfield, NH) smacked a three-run homer off Webb, and the Ephs added another run off Amherst reliever Ed Imperatore (Tenafly, NJ) to knot the score at 4-4. 

The Jeffs answered emphatically in the bottom of the ninth. Whiting reached with a leadoff double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior co-captain Tom Sullivan (Tewksbury, MA). After senior Brandon Cody (Boston, MA) popped up for the second out of the inning, Mazzone came through with the biggest hit of his collegiate career, an RBI single that plated Whiting and set off a wild celebration at home plate.

The win was a long time coming for Amherst, which advanced through the winners' bracket to the championship game last season as well, only to drop a season-ending doubleheader to visiting Trinity. The Jeffs also qualified for the four-team tournament in 2001, the first year the NESCAC awarded an official conference championship, but bowed out with a pair of losses to Tufts University. The Jeffs are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999. 

The precocious Mazzone carried Amherst offensively, pounding out four of the Jeffs' eight hits and driving in a pair of runs, including the game-winner. Whiting doubled, singled, drove in a run and scored twice. Sullivan capped a three-run Amherst rally in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single. 

Imperatore (1-0) would've rather picked up the save but ended up with his first win of the season. 

Williams finishes the year at 30-12. 

VIEW PHOTOS from Amherst's win over Williams. 

Box Score/Play-by-Play