MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Mammoths tallied runs in six consecutive innings as the Amherst College baseball team downed Little III rival Wesleyan University, 11-1 Friday afternoon at Dresser Diamond.
With the win, Amherst's improves to 15-11 on the season and to 7-3 in league play, while Wesleyan falls to 16-12 overall (4-5 NESCAC). Amherst and Wesleyan return to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 29 when they face off in a doubleheader at Memorial Field beginning at 1 p.m.
Scoreless entering the top of the third, the Mammoths plated a quick three runs to take a 3-0 edge. Leading off, Severino Tocci '20 notched a double to right center, before moving over to third on a ground ball out to set up the first scoring play of the contest. Next at the dish, Harry Roberson '18 belted a single to left to send Tocci home. Ariel Kenney '18 extended Amherst's lead two batters later, powering a triple into the gap to record two RBI.
Amherst tacked on a run in the fourth, as Max Steinhorn '18 bunted with runners on first and third to plate Ryan Hardin '18. The Cardinal tallied what stood as their sole run of the contest in the bottom of the inning, with Alex Olmstead sending a solo shot over the left field wall.
Holding momentum, the Mammoths plated scores in their next four at bats, logging a run in the fifth, sixth and eighth and four runs in the seventh en route to the 11-1 victory.
Kenney and Roberson were the RBI getters for Amherst in the fifth and sixth, respectively, with Kenney ripping a single to left after a single and back-to-back steals by Anthony Spina '18, and Roberson sending Tocci across home plate on a fielder's choice.
Seven Mammoth batters saw the dish in a four-run seventh, with a Tocci double and a Roberson triple accounting for the first three scores and a Yanni Thanopolous '17 single plating Roberson for the final run of the inning.
Kenney scored the final run of the matchup in the eighth, walking to lead off the inning and eventually tagging home on a passed ball.
Tasked with the start, Drew Fischer '18 (1-0) earned the win on the mound for Amherst, giving up two hits, one earned run and striking out six in 5.0 innings. Sam Schneider '18 and Mike Castiglie '17 closed out the contest for the Mammoths, with both pitchers tossing 2.0 innings.
Mike McCaffrey (3-3) allowed eight hits, three earned runs and struck out four in the losing effort for Wesleyan, while Stephen Howard, Peter DeLalio, Pat Clare and Dan Lombardo also saw time on the hill.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Amherst owned a dominative 16-3 edge in hits in the matchup and stranded 11 runners, while the Cardinals left six on base.
- Amherst racked up four extra base hits, including two doubles and two triples, while Olmstead's home run stood as Wesleyans lone extra base hit on the game.
- The Mammoth staff combined to allow just three hits and one earned run while walking four and fanning 11. Wesleyan pitchers gave up 16 hits and eight earned runs while walking six and striking out five.