AMHERST, MA – Amherst's Kevin Heller '12 went 3-for-6 with three RBI in a pair of games as baseball took two from visiting Wesleyan University to improve to 21-7 overall on the season and 10-2 in league play, clinching the NESCAC West title for the first time since 2005.
The Cardinals, who needed to sweep the Lord Jeffs in order to earn a postseason berth, fell to 6-6 in NESCAC action and 16-18 overall with the losses. By virtue of its victories today, Amherst clinches the right to host the upcoming NESCAC Championships slated for May 13-15.
Game 1: Amherst 10, Wesleyan 3
After Amherst first-year starter Fred Shepard (Amherst, MA) retired the side in order to start the first, a patient and opportunistic Lord Jeffs' line-up grinded out five runs in the bottom half of the frame without recording a hit.
Wesleyan junior Brett Yarusi kicked-off the inning by hitting Amherst first-year Alex Hero (New York, NY) before issuing the game's first walk and hitting another batter to load the bases. A Cardinals' error on Mike Samela's (Westport, CT) fly-ball to right plated the Jeffs' first run. Yarusi would then induce a pop-up to short, recording the inning's first out, before Amherst sophomore Nolan Stewart (New Canaan, CT) hit a grounder to second, plating first-year Taiki Kasuga (New York, NY). The Lord Jeffs pushed across their third run on another Cardinals' error before a hit batsman and bases-loaded walk capped off the five run frame.
Hitless through two, the Cardinals finally broke through in the third inning on a hit and a costly Amherst miscue. Sophomore catcher Chris Bonti kicked-off the rally with a two-out single to left before stealing second to move into scoring position. Junior Kyle Weiss then laid down a bunt down the third base line, reaching on the ensuing Lord Jeff throwing error that allowed Bonti to come home.
The Cardinals would again threaten in the fourth, putting runners on the corners with one out. First-year Jake Skinner then lifted a would-be sacrifice into center, but senior Scott Shaffer (Boulder, CO) made a strong throw home to catch a tagging Justin Freres at the plate.
Hoping to add to their lead, the Amherst bats came alive in the bottom half of the stanza, plating three runs on three hits. Hero led things off with a one-out single to left before Kasuga doubled to put two aboard. Hero would come home on a ball-four wild pitch to junior Kevin Heller (Brooklyn, NY), before junior catcher Mike Samela (Westport, CT) ripped a two-RBI single to left center to make it 8-1 Amherst.
Wesleyan junior Alex Meadow came through with a big two-out RBI base-hit in the fifth that scored Bonti, but the Lord Jeffs responded with two more runs in the bottom half of the frame on a wild pitch and a Kasuga single to center. The Cardinals closed out scoring with Meadow's two-out RBI double in the top of the sixth.
Kasuga finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored while Hero, Samela sophomore Bob Cook (Winnetka, IL) and senior Jose Espinosa (Ridgefield, CT) each recorded a hit, while combining for four RBI.
Meadow led the Cardinals lineup, going 2-for-4 with two RBI while senior Derek Dettorre (Wakefield, MA) went 2-for-3. Bonti scored all three Wesleyan runs in the loss, while Freres went 1-for-3.
Shepard tossed five strong innings in the win, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out six. Yarusi lasted just one inning in the loss, surrendering five runs.
BOX SCORE
Game 2: Amherst 6, Wesleyan 3
Amherst wasted no time getting on the board in game two, pushing across a run in the first. Hero led-off the frame with a double to center before advancing to third on Kasuga's fly-out to right. Heller then singled through the left side scoring Hero.
Trying to keep pace, Wesleyan quickly put the first two runners on to start the second. Senior Joe Giamo, who reached on a lead-off walk, then stole third, before Amherst senior Ryan Healy (Westport, CT) got first-year Terence Farina to foul-out to first. Healy then induced junior Noah Feingold (Florence, MA) to pop-up a bunt, as Samela alertly tagged out an on-coming Giamo to smother the Cardinals' threat.
Looking to add to their tally in the bottom half of the inning, senior Brian Merrigan (Holbrook, MA) dropped a one-out infield single to short with one on to put runners on first and second. Moments later, a passed ball would allow Cook to score before an Espinosa single to center made it 3-0 in favor of the Lord Jeffs. Hoping to avoid any further damage, Cardinals' starter Chase Levi got Hero to line into a double play, ending the inning.
Needing a lift, Bonti provided Wesleyan just that, leading off the third with a solo shot to left, but the home side promptly responded in the bottom half of stanza as Heller launched a two-run homer over the left field fence to extend the Amherst margin to 5-1.
With one out in the top of the fourth Dettorre laced a double to left center, before Farina beat out a slow dribbler back up the middle to put runners on the corners. Feingold then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Dettorre.
Amherst again threatened in the fourth as Hero, who reached on a single to left, moved to second on a failed pick-off attempt with just one out. A charging Feingold then fielded a softly hit ball down the third base line, before turning to tag-out a sliding Hero. Heller later smashed a deep fly-ball to right, but Freres made a nice diving catch near the line to keep the Lord Jeffs off the board and Wesleyan within three.
Still 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Cook led Amherst off with a single right center. Merrigan then drew a walk to put two on, but Bonti would pick-off Cook at second to record the inning's first out. Cardinal first-year reliever Jeff Blout then hit Espinosa to once again put runners on first and second, but the righthander would rebound, getting a much needed strikeout before inducing a pop-out to keep the Cardinals within striking distance.
Searching for an added insurance run, Heller led off the seventh win the single to center before stealing second. Shaffer later drew a walk with one-out, before Stewart reached on a fielder's choice back to the mound that allowed Heller to come all the way home.
Up 6-2 in the eighth, Amherst junior lefty Dylan Joyce (South Orange, NJ) threw his second consecutive shutout inning to preserve the lead heading into the ninth. First-year Jeff reliever Cam Windham (Washington, DC) logged two quick outs to start the final frame before surrendering a single to Weiss. Weiss then advanced to second on a balk, before Meadow ripped an RBI double down the left field line to cut the Wesleyan deficit to 6-3. From there Windham shut the door, registering a strikeout to end the game.
Heller finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI, while Hero chipped in with a pair of hits and a run scored. Espinosa went 2-for-3, while Cook and Merrigan both finished 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Meadow led the way for Wesleyan with three hits and an RBI, while Farina had a pair of base-knocks. Bonti, Dettorre, Sonnenfeld and Weiss accounted for the rest of the squad's nine hits.
Healy improved to 5-0 on the year, pitching six strong innings, allowing two runs on six hits, while Joyce and Windham combined to pitch the final three frames, surrendering one run on two hits. Levi took the loss, giving up five runs on five hits to fall to 1-3 on the season.
BOX SCORE
