Baseball
It was a rollercoaster of a year for the baseball team. Despite flashes of brilliance during the season, when it came down to crunch time, the team did not utilize the talent it had to warrant a bid to the NESCAC Tournament.
Amherst's biggest win of the season came in front of a home crowd against fifth-ranked Eastern Connecticut State College. In this game, as they did throughout the season, the Jeffs relied on their pitching to prevail 5-2 against the Vikings. Andy Kerns '04 got the win, pitching five solid inning, surrendering just five hits and one run. Duncan Webb '04 pitched four innings and allowed only two hits and one run in relief.
Starting co-captain Jeff Leduc '02 led the Jeff pitchers this season with a team low 1.91 ERA and a 4-2 record. Andy Kerns followed Leduc with a 3.08 ERA and a 3-2 record.
The Lord Jeffs finished the season 19-5, going 6-6 in the NESCAC. It was all on the line at the end of the regular season. If the Jeffs took two of three games against Little III rival Williams College the weekend of April 27, they would secure the final playoff spot in the NESCAC West division. If they could not, the spot would go the Ephs.
An 8-2 win in the first game of the series gave the Jeffs hope that the postseason was in sight. Amherst's top hitter, Matt Potter '04, who hit .409 on the season, was instrumental in the win, going three for four in the game to go along with two runs. Unfortunately, the Jeffs dropped their next two to Williams. including a 1-0 thriller in the second game, and just narrowly missed the playoffs.
Softball
After making the playoffs five straight seasons, the expectations on the softball team were tremendous entering the 2001-2002 season. The Jeffs would not disappoint, finishing the season at 17-4 (6-2 in the NESCAC West); and earned them an invitation to the NESCAC Championship Tournament.
The Jeffs opened its NESCAC West and home slate with a doubleheader against the Middlebury College Panthers. In the first game, starting hurler co-captain Lauren Peloquin '02 put on a pitching exhibition, striking out 10 and only allowing two hits en route to the Jeffs' 3-0 shutout. Peloquin led all Jeffs starters in ERA this season with a 1.87 and finished the season at 14-9. Not just a defensive threat, Peloquin also had the third highest batting average this season, hitting a solid .289.
Gina Scribner '04 was also an influential part of Amherst's success against Middlebury and the entire season as well. Scriber had two hits in the first game against Middlebury. She was the softball team's top hitter, batting an extraordinary .406. She was also the only member of the team to hit any homeruns during the season, batting two out of the ballpark.
Co-captain Becca Binder '02 was the impressive in the nightcap, stepping up to the plate and driving home a pair of runs with a triple. Binder's batting percentage of .294 put her as the second best hitter on the team this year.
The Jeffs drew a tough first round tournament opponent in the Tufts University Jumbos, losing 8-0 in the double-elimination tournament. They finally bowed out for good after getting beaten by Bowdoin College the next day 7-1.
Men's lacrosse
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the men's lacrosse team. But the problem was no one informed the Jeffs of that fact. After a 2000-2001 season in which Amherst finished 5-8, Amherst regrouped this year to finish 9-7 (5-4) and in the process earning the right to host a NESCAC Tournament home game on April 30.
In front of a rain-soaked home crowd at Hitchcock Field, the Lord Jeffs defeated the Tufts University Jumbos 10-7, advancing to the NESCAC final four in the process.
The Jeffs were led by spectacular play of freshman phenom goaltender Cushing Donelan, who came up with a big save on the first shot of the game. The highlight of the came in the third quarter when Donelan got control of the ball in his own end. Noticing an opening, Donelan ran the ball up the field uninhibited. On the opposing end, he was knocked down, but still maintained control of the ball, faking out the goalie and scored.
Another freshman, Alex Casertano, the Jeffs' leading scorer this season with 20 goals and 24 assists, paced the Jeffs with a pair of goals and two assists on the day. The team's second leading scorer Harlow Voorhees '02 and Second Team All-NESCAC member Matt Margolis '03 contributed a goal and an assist in the winning effort.
Amherst was downed by top-seeded host Middlebury College 16-5, in the second round of the NESCAC Tournament. Despite the loss, the Jeffs have high hopes for the 2002-2003 season as the youth on the team continue to mature and develop.
Men's tennis
It was a disappointing spring season for the 3-5 men's tennis team, which came into its spring slate ranked 19th in the nation, according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Rankings. The team opened its spring slate, with perhaps one of its most convincing win of the season against NESCAC and Little III rival Wesleyan University. In the "A" flight, Brian Wexler '02 overcame a difficult second set to win 7-5, 1-6, 7-5.
On April 20, the Jeffs took on NESCAC adversary Middlebury College. The only players to win their matches were "B" player Adam Leibsohn '03 and co-captain George Tsai '02 in the "D" flight.
The team concluded its season in the NESCAC Championships, where the Jeffs finished a disappointing seventh in the 11 team field. The tournament, which was hosted by Amherst, was highlighted by the performance of the "B" doubles team of co-captain Peter Ransmeir '02 and Andy Tsai '03. Ransmeir and Tsai narrowly defeated the team from Bates College in the opening round en route to taking out the Williams entry to advance to the finals. Unfortunately in a close three set affair against Bowdoin College, Amherst was denied the only title it was in striking distance of winning.
Amherst will count on new face Will Abbott '05 next year. Abbott performed solidly in a number of tournaments in the "E" flight.
Women's tennis
For the past four years, the women's tennis team has been one of the top performing teams at Amherst. Though there was a slight dent in the armor of the team during the spring-it ended the spring season 7-5-the team regrouped at the end of the season just in time for the NCAA Tournament. See accompanying story on page 36.
Rachel Holt '05 was named NESCAC Women's Tennis Rookie of the Year and Second-Team All-NESCAC. Joining her on the second team were co-captain Stephanie Fong '02 and another freshman, Tristan Hedrick.
Golf
In the spring, there was only one rival for the men's golf team. Not surprisingly, it was the Williams College Ephs.
Williams drew first blood finishing second to Amherst's fifth in the Massachusetts Intercollegiate Championships. The Jeffs were paced by Jude Volek '03, who shot a 36 on the back-nine to finish third individually. Amherst would laterplace first in the Williams Spring Challenge on April 21. Amherst shot a 305 to edge out Williams, whose team shot a 308. This time the Jeffs were led by captain Mike Blaisdell '02, whose score of 74 was good enough for second place. The Purple Cows would manage to defeat the Jeffs two more times before year's end.
Despite Blaisdell's graduation, the Jeffs look ready to contend for the Little III title again next year with the emergence of key freshmen Justin Sharaf and Mike Valentine.
The women's golf team had unprecedented success this year. After a slow start in the Lady Eagle Invitational, the Jeffs went on to win the Hartford Invitational by three strokes over Central Connecticut State. The team was paced by the performance of sophomore Kathryn Kuchefski who shot a 169 to place seventh overall.
Perhaps the Jeffs' most impressive match came in the NCAA Championships, held in nearby South Hadley. Freshman phenom Emily Foran came ever so close to win the individual title, finishing fourth after four rounds. She was actually second after the second round. Methodist University ran away with the title but the Jeffs placed third overall, defeating 16 other teams, in the process.
Outdoor track
Following up on a stellar indoor track season, the Lord Jeffs looked to sustain their momentum heading into the outdoor track season. Starting the season at the Connecticut College Invitational the men's team proved their indoor season was no fluke.
With six first place finishes, the men's team ended the meet in third place. Rookie sprinter Jay Wagstaff '05 tied for first in the 100m. Fellow freshman Nathaniel Mahlberg won the 400m hurdles. Veteran Pat Heyes '03 won the 110m hurdles and Janak Chandrasoma '04 won the 200m event.
One of the women's team's best performances came in the Amherst-hosted Little IIIs. The women came into the event with the goal of beating Wesleyan, and accomplished just that. Freshman phenom Carter Hamill posted a time of 17:20.80 to take the 5,000m. Laurel Kilgour '03 won the 800m and Becca Woo '02 recorded the top time in the 1,500m. Lee-Jay Henry '05 displayed her versatility by placing first in both the 100m high hurdles and the triple jump.
The ladies went on to take 12th in the Division III New England Championships and 20th in the Open New Englands. The men took 17th at New Englands.