Matt Lowes allowed one unearned run on four hits in six innings to lead Middlebury College to a 13-1 win against Hamilton College in a New England Small College Athletic Conference West Division baseball game at Hamilton's Royce Field on April 23.
Lowes (3-1) struck out three and walked two. John Popkowski pitched two scoreless innings of relief and Will Baine moved from shortstop to the mound to close things out in the ninth. Baine fanned two and retired the side in order.
Donald McKillop led Middlebury's offense with a single, two doubles and a two-run homer to left field in a five-run eighth inning. McKillop finished with three RBI. Erich Enns hammered a two-run blast over the net in left field in the third inning. Joey Liberator had three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs. Joseph Conway, Zach Roeder and Peter Baumann collected two hits each as the Panthers racked up 17 as a team. Conway added his sixth double.
Hamilton starting pitcher Justin Atwood allowed four earned runs on six hits, walked four and struck out three in three-plus innings. Atwood (0-2) was making his first start this season. Joe Buicko singled twice and stole his 10th base this year. Alex Augustyn tied a team record with his 29th career double. Grady Vigneau doubled and drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the Continentals' run in the sixth.
Middlebury (7-12 overall, 3-4 NESCAC West) gave Lowes all the runs he needed in the third inning. Thomas Driscoll unloaded a one-out double to left center and scored on McKillop's single through the left side. Enns followed with his home run for a 3-0 lead. Conway kept the inning going with a single, and moved up to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch. After Roeder walked, Conway scored on Baumann's single to right field. The Panthers added one run in the fourth inning, three in the fifth and clinched the victory with five in the eighth.
Hamilton (7-21, 0-10) hosts Middlebury for a doubleheader at Royce Field on Saturday, April 24. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.
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