In the first game of the double- header against Trinity, Amherst pounded out nine hits but could not capitalize, scoring only three runs and stranding 10 base runners.
The two pitchers, with Lauren Peloquin '02 on the mound for the Jeffs, took a scoreless tie into the eighth inning when Trinity finally got on the board. Because of collegiate rules, Trinity had a runner placed on second base to start the inning. First baseman Maureen Heneghan later lined a double down the left-field line, scoring Stanton. The Jeffs took their turn but could only manage to tie the score at one when Co-captain Meg Nelson's '01 sacrifice fly brought in fellow Co-captain Carline Kelly '01. The game was finally decided in the 10th when Trinity managed to plate their free runner on a Jennifer Kernan single, making the score 2-1 in favor of the Bantams. Kelly then answered with an RBI double to center, scoring Tamara Baer '03 to even the game again. Kelly then waltzed home on Nelson's game-winning single.
The Jeffs wasted no time getting things started in the nightcap with an early 4-1 lead. Trinity would not answer until the sixth when they took advantage of some untimely Amherst errors, tying the score at four.
In the eighth inning with the score still tied and Della Huff '04 on second, Peloquin knocked out a single, advancing Huff to third. After a fly out, with runners at the corners, Sakamoto singled for the game winning RBI.
After a difficult first third of the season, Sakamoto stepped up her preformance at the plate going 3-4 with two RBI's, including that game winning single. "I wasn't trying to be the hero," said Sakamoto. "I had made some mistakes earlier in the and I was glad I could help my team at the plate."
Next up for Amherst was 2000 conference champions Tufts University. Peloquin proved fallible as the Jumbos steamrolled the Jeffs 8-0 in five innings in the first game of a double-header. A close game in the beginning, things got ugly in the fourth. The Jumbos took advantage of an Amherst fielding miscue to score their second run and load the bases. After a liner got away from Peloquin and the third run scored, the proverbial floodgates were thrown open.
The Jeffs made a feeble rally attempt in the fourth inning, but Tufts hurler Jodie Moreau was dominant.
The Jumbos leapt to an early lead in the nightcap thanks to a six-run second inning. Amherst answered back in the bottom of the inning, scoring on three straight singles from Scribner, Melia and Baer. After Tufts plated one more in the top of the fourth, Amherst rallied again, with Mordy lacing a double that brought everyone home. Nelson then scored Mordy with a double to bring the Jeffs within one. A fly out ended the inning and in the fifth Moreau came in and the game was over.
The loss left the Jeffs at 14-6, with a 2-0 record in their division with the NESCAC Tournament in their sights. The Jeffs will host Westfield State College in a double-header today before heading to division member Middlebury College this Saturday for another twinbill.