The Middlebury baseball team closed its regular season with a split against Williams on Saturday from the Baseball/Softball Complex. The navy and white tallied a 5-1 win in seven innings in the first contest, while the Ephs logged a come-from-behind 7-6 victory during the second contest.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- The Panthers got on the board in the bottom of the first. After Sam Gersch was plunked and Henry Ayers worked a walk, Andrew Baay brought home Gersch with a groundout. A batter later, Cooper Bohlig plated Ayers on a base knock to left field to make it 2-0.
- Samuel Kidd recorded the third Middlebury run an inning later, beginning the frame with a leadoff double and coming around to score on a groundout for a 3-0 lead.
- Panther starter Chase Zidlicky cruised through the opening three frames, allowing just two base runners to reach and firing two strikeouts.
- Williams looked to trim the deficit during the fourth. Ryan Nakajima smacked a base hit to center and Oliver Rey was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Cooper Bohlig laid out for a full-extension snag in right center to deny Quinn Carlesimo an extra-base hit.
- The visitors cut the lead to two (3-1) in the sixth inning, as Will Scott scored on a balk.
- Middlebury added some insurance in the bottom half. Will Ashley clanged a double off the left field foul pole and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kidd. Two batters later, Gersch plated Ashley with a single to right field. After Gersch swiped second base, Ayers blasted a run-scoring two-bagger to left center, making the score 5-1.
- Stefano Yozzo entered in relief during the Ephs' final at-bats. Two runners reached base, but the right-hander finalized the four-run victory with a groundout to shortstop.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- Ayers and Forrest Nelson worked walks to put runners on first and second with two outs in the opening frame. Williams' Daniel Vazquez induced a groundout to second base to quell the scoring chance.
- The hosts grabbed a 1-0 lead during the second frame. JD Collins worked a one-out walk and hustled around to score on a double off the left-field wall by Ashley.
- An inning later, Brian Olson and Anthony Pellagrini logged consecutive base knocks with two outs. Vasquez worked a pop-up to deny the opportunity.
- Middlebury starter Alex Faust continued to roll, retiring 11 of the next 15 batters he faced spanning from the fourth to seventh frames.
- Alexander Glasscock and Nelson scored the second and third runs of the contest in the bottom of the seventh. A comebacker to the pitcher allowed the Ephs to retire the lead runner at the plate, but a double play attempt to first sailed into right field.
- After a 1-2-3 inning from Faust, the navy and white doubled their lead. Ashley commenced the frame with a base knock and touched home plate on a triple to right center from Aiden Han. A few pitches later, Ayers knocked in Han with a sacrifice fly to center for the fifth run of the contest. Glasscock capped the spurt by crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly from Gersch after swiping both second and third base.
- The Ephs rallied in the final frame, tallying seven runs to take their first lead of the contest at 7-6. Seven batters recorded a hit in the inning, including a towering triple from Dave Mosrie that nearly hoped the right center fence.
- In the bottom half, Olson was plunked, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. Daniel Okstein shut down the scoring opportunity with a pop out and 6-4-3 double play to cap the miraculous comeback.Â
NOTES
- Zidlicky had a solid outing on the hill, allowing three hits and one run while striking out five over six innings of work in the opening contest. It marks his fourth outing of at least six frames in his last five appearances.
- Ashley went 4-for-7 in the doubleheader, scoring twice and knocking in a run.
- The Panthers swiped 11 bags over the two contests. Glasscock led the way with three.
- Before the doubleheader, the Panthers honored the accomplishments of seniors Dylan Knightly and Brayden Mathews.
- Middlebury and Williams met for the 143rd and 144th times. The navy and white have won seven of the last eight battles.
The conference office will release the seedings for the upcoming NESCAC Tournament in the coming days.
