The Hamilton College baseball team dropped its final NESCAC West Division game of the season, losing 10-9 to host Williams Friday at Bobby Coombs Field. The Continentals (9-15, 2-10 NESCAC West) rallied from a 7-0 third-inning deficit to take a 9-7 lead before the Ephs (11-15, 7-5 NESCAC West) staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth for the walk-off win.
Hamilton scored five times in the top of the eighth to go up 9-7 before Williams scored once in the bottom of the inning then strung together four straight two-out singles in the ninth to complete the sweep of the three-game NESCAC West series (the Ephs swept a doubleheader from visiting Hamilton Sunday).
Hamilton's Ryan Crawford '15 retired the first two Ephs in the ninth and had two strikes on Phil McGovern '15 before McGover singled to right field. Kelso Stevens '15 beat out an infield hit to put the winning run on base and Jack Roberts '17 followed with a single up the middle to the score. The Ephs completed the comeback on an infield single by David Webster '15, who beat the throw to first as Stevens scored the winning run.
McGover, Stevens and Roberts each finished with two of Williams's 16 hits. Stevens's run-scoring double capped a five-run third that put the Ephs up 7-0.
Singles by Chris Collins '17 and Joe Jensen '15 to lead off the fifth started Hamilton's rally. After a double steal, a groundout by Mike Chiseri '16 put the Continentals on the board. Kevin Collins '17 walked then he and Jensen pulled off a double steal (Jensen stole a career-best four bases) before a sacrifice fly by Ryan Wolfsberg '17 and an RBI single by Steve LaRochelle '14 closed out Hamilton's three-run inning.
Chris Collins scored on a Williams throwing error in the sixth and two innings later the Continentals used three hits, a walk and two Williams errors – all with two outs – to score five runs. The Ephs nearly escaped from the inning without allowing a run when Jacob Slater struck out Nick Taylor '15, but Taylor reached first when strike three was mishandled. Following a single by Kevin Collins, Wolfsberg was intentionally walked to load the bases for Tim Burke '16, who cleared the bases with a double to left field that tied the score. A run-scoring double by Andrew Haser '17 and an infield error gave Hamilton a two-run lead.
Kenny Collins recorded his second three-hit performance in three games to lead the Continentals. He and his twin brother Chris Collins both scored a pair of runs.
Jensen raised his season total to 23 stolen bases; he ranks ninth nationally.
Luke Pierce '15 doubled in Roberts with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to pull Williams to within a run.
Colin Henneberger '14 held the Ephs to two runs over six innings of five-hit relief. He struck out five batters and didn't issue a walk.
Thomas Stephens '14 singled, doubled twice and scored two runs. Steve Marino '14, the last of four Williams relievers, earned the win by setting Hamilton down in order in the top of the ninth.
The Continentals are scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader at SUNY Institute of Technology Saturday. Williams hosts Springfield in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
