MIDDLETOWN, CONN. – Despite leading 7-0 after two innings of game two in Saturday's home doubleheader against Amherst, the Wesleyan baseball team needed to hold off a hard charging Mammoths squad as the Cardinals held on late to win game two, 7-6. That victory sealed a split of Saturday's doubleheader as Wesleyan dropped game one, 4-0.
Highlights Game 1 (L, 0-4):
Second Inning – Top Half
Amherst threatened in the second as the Mammoths' Chris Murphy drew a one out walk and advanced to second on an errant pick off attempt at first. With Murphy in scoring position and one out, graduate student Pat Clare stepped up with a pair of strikeouts, catching the Amherst batters looking on both K's.
Second Inning – Bottom Half
Wesleyan looked to be taking control of the game as Eddie Zanor '23 walked, Ricky Finkel '23 was hit by a pitch and Kyle Sylvester '22 reached first on an error by the Amherst catcher on a bunt as the bases were loaded with no one out for the Cardinals. Facing a massive test, Amherst's starting pitcher Sachin Nambiar bore down and escaped the inning without allowing a run, inducing a fielder's choice out at home followed by a strikeout and fly out to right.
Third Inning – Bottom Half
After stranding three runners on-base in the second, Wesleyan had runners on second and third with just one out in the following inning but again came up with no runs as Nambiar struck out Zanor before forcing Finkel to line out to right. Jack Nally '24 doubled down the left field line for his first collegiate hit before Adam Geibel '22 singled up the middle to account for the two Wesleyan hits in the inning.
Fifth Inning – Top Half
Clare was dealing for Wesleyan, retiring eight straight batters before running into trouble in the fifth as Will Marshall doubled for Amherst to lead off the inning before coming around to score on an Aidan Park RBI single that broke the deadlock. Amherst added to their lead with a pair of two out RBI singles, first from Joseph Palmo followed by Daniel Qin as the Mammoths stretched their lead to 3-0.
NOTES:
- Wesleyan struggled in the field, committing four errors while amassing only three hits
- Nambiar dealed in his five innings of work, striking out four without giving up a run
- Nick Giattino came on for Nambiar in the sixth and went two scoreless innings to pick up his first collegiate save
- Clare pitched into the seventh inning for the Cardinals, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out eight as he tossed 111 pitches in his first start since May 3, 2019
Highlights Game 2 (W, 7-6):
Second Inning – Bottom Half
After going eight straight innings without a run, Wesleyan batted around and exploded for seven runs in the second as the Cardinals took a commanding 7-0 lead. With the bases loaded and no one out,
Satoshi Miki '24 drilled a two-run double to left center in his first collegiate at-bat to put Wesleyan ahead. A wild pitch scored Sylvester from third to make it 3-0 before
Ryan Molinari '22 knocked in a pair as he singled down the right field line and put the Cardinals ahead 5-0. Molinari put his speed on display as he stole second and third before strolling home on a Nally RBI single back up the middle. With Wesleyan now leading 6-0, it was Nally's turn to steal second and he was knocked in by Geibel who singled to right center and finish the seven-run second for the Cardinals.
Third Inning – Top Half
Cardinal starter
Coleton Reitan '22 mowed down Amherst with one-two-three innings in the first and second before running into trouble in the third. He loaded the bases on back-to-back walks but got Qin to strike out swinging and preserve the 7-0 Wesleyan advantage.
Fourth Inning – Top Half
Amherst continued to threaten as the bases were loaded again in the fourth, and again with two outs, Reitan got out of trouble with a strikeout and kept his team ahead by seven.
Fifth Inning – Top Half
The Mammoths continued to push despite the big Wesleyan lead and made it a game in the fifth as five runs were scored, two of which coming on a single to left center from Marshall. With the go-ahead run up at the plate,
Everett Lee '22 came on to pitch in relief and induced a pop out to shortstop
Cole Torino '24 and the score was 7-5 Wesleyan heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Seventh Inning – Top Half
After Qin homered to left in the sixth to cut the deficit down to just one,
Joe Mescall '21 entered to finish off the game for Wesleyan. After stranding one runner in the sixth, Mescall tossed a perfect seventh inning, the last two outs coming via strikeout as the Cardinals closed out a 7-6 victory.
NOTES:
- In his third career start, Reitan picked up his first career win as he struck out a career-high nine batters in his 4.2 innings of work. Reitan's previous career-high for K's was five.
- Mescall tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts, picking up his first career save.
- In his first career start, Miki went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and one run scored
- Zanor reached base in all three of his plate appearances as he went 2-for-2 with one run scored and one walk
- Molinari, Nally and Geibel each tallied a hit in both games of the doubleheader
- Wesleyan is now 4-2 (3-1 at home) in their last six games against the Mammoths
UP NEXT:
Wesleyan attempts to win the season series as the Cardinals will travel to face the Mammoths on Sunday with a single game slated to start at 1:00 PM.
