The team opened the week with a victory over Westfield State College and then dropped one to nationally ranked Eastern Connecticut State University before splitting a doubleheader with Bowdoin College on Saturday.
The Jeffs used a committee of pitchers to get the job done in Tuesday's much-delayed home opener. Duncan Webb '04, Brian Donahue '07, Nick Kehoe '07 and Ed Imperatore '05 combined to hold Westfield State (4-11) to just two runs while scattering 10 hits en route to a 6-2 victory. Webb and Donahue each pitched three scoreless innings for the victors.
Brandon Cody '04 led the way at the plate, knocking in two runs on two hits, including a third-inning double. Cody also scored a run on a sacrifice fly by senior rightfielder Matt Potter. Shortstop Zach Schonberger '06 manufactured his own run in the fifth inning, smashing a triple and then scoring on a wild pitch. Jared Banner '07 then put the game away in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double.
The team faced perhaps their toughest test of the season the next day as they hosted sixth-ranked Eastern Connecticut.
"Playing a team like Eastern Connecticut, you always know that they're going to be tough. Those are the games that we need to compete in to see how we measure up, though," said senior co-captain Tom Sullivan.
The Jeffs played in the game but fell short, bowing to the 2002 National Champions by a score of 5-2. Although the Warriors managed just nine scattered singles and stranded eight base runners, their speed proved to be the difference as they stole nine bases in as many attempts.
Despite the loss, Banner and Cody continued to shine. Banner doubled twice and scored a run while Cody drove in both Amherst runs with a single in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior leftfielder Dave Powers notched a pair of singles for the Jeffs.
Sophomore pitcher Joe Vladeck was outstanding in relief after taking the mound in the fifth to replace struggling senior Andy Kerns. Vladeck hurled four hitless innings before Imperatore took over to throw a scoreless ninth. "We got good pitching, we just didn't hit the ball the way we know we can," said Sullivan.
On Saturday, the team ended the week by splitting a non-league doubleheader with visiting Bowdoin College (15-6). In the first game, rookie sensation Brian Donahue dominated the Polar Bears into the ninth inning before giving way to the bullpen. Donahue stayed perfect at 3-0, striking out four while allowing five hits and giving up just two earned runs.
Donahue took a shutout into the ninth before letting two runners on base and yielding to Imperatore, who struggled and allowed three runs. Vladeck then came in and gave up a two-run double narrowing Amherst's lead to one before bearing down and working out of a jam for his second save.
Offensively, Amherst took full advantage of six Bowdoin errors. Sullivan put Amherst up early with a two-run double in the bottom of the second inning and the Jeffs never looked back. Paul Whiting '04 also doubled while Cody added a pair of RBI singles. Schonberger contributed a pair of hits as well.
The Polar Bears got their revenge in game two, with a 5-1 victory. Sophomore Ricky LeClerc earned the victory for Bowdoin, keeping his record at a perfect 5-0. LeClerc kept Amherst batters off balance for eight innings, allowing just six hits and tallying six strikeouts. Webb took the loss for Amherst, dropping his record to 3-3.
The Amherst offense could not match the four doubles posted by Bowdoin. Powers drove in the Jeffs lone run with a third inning single. Cody rounded out a fantastic week by going 1-3 with a pair of walks. Cody was 6-16 and drove in six runs in the four-game stretch.
The Jeffs have had stellar pitching thus far, but inconsistency with the bat is holding them back. "We've had good pitching, we just haven't hit stride as hitters yet, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. We just need to peak at the right time," said Sullivan.
Although Amherst's record is now just 8-9 overall and 1-2 in the NESCAC West Division, the Lord Jeffs are still very much in the playoff hunt. With a conference series this weekend against Hamilton College and then a series next weekend with rival Williams, the Jeffs have a chance to catapult themselves atop the NESCAC West. "This weekend coming up is huge," said Sullivan. "Right now we can't look ahead to Williams, we really need to be focused on Hamilton."
The Jeffs will prepare for this weekend's showdown when they travel to non-conference opponent Keene State College on Wednesday.