The Jeffs used good pitching and timely hitting to earn their eighth victory and move to two games over .500.
Junior pitcher Chris Edgar got the starting nod and pitched three scoreless innings, giving up no hits and striking out three. Sophomore Ryan Platzbecker relieved Edgar in the fourth due to pitch count limitations.
Platzbecker gave up a run in the top of the fourth, but the Jeffs answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning as junior designated hitter Neal Allar drove in first-yearshortstop Andrew Thal with a single. Platzbecker resumed to throw two more scoreless innings, keeping the game tied. First-year pitcher Teddy Blank relieved Platzbecker in the seventh, pitching a 1-2-3 inning.
After a lead-off single by sophomore Brendan Powers in the bottom of the seventh, Allar advanced the runner to second on a sacrifice groundout. With two outs, center-fielder Tom Scott singled to put runners on the corners. Sophomore first baseman Nat Pedley laced a single to left field to put the Jeffs up 2-1. Blank threw two more scoreless innings, and retired all nine batters he faced. He earned the win, moving his record to 2-1 on the season.
Last Thursday proved to be less favorable than yesterday's game for the Jeffs as they took on Eastern Connecticut State University. The game was supposed to be played Wednesday, but it was delayed a day. The Jeffs ran into a tough squad in the Warriors and were ulimately hurt by their own mistakes and errors in a 7-3 loss.
Platzbecker got the start for the Jeffs, and pitched three innings, giving up two runs, of which only one was earned. Platzbecker walked three and gave up one hit and left the game tied 2-2. Providing key runs for the Jeffs were senior second baseman Mark Mazzone, Allar, Pedley, and Thal. In the bottom of the second inning Card drew a walk to load the bases. Thal hit a single into left field scoring Scott. However, the Jeffs left the bases loaded after that.
In the next inning they came back again, as Allar led off with a single which was followed by three more singles from Mazzone, Scott and Pedley. However, the four hits only produced one run and the Jeffs left the bases loaded for the second straight inning.
Blank entered the game in the fourth and lasted three innings. Coupled with six hits and shaky defense, Blank was hit for five runs, but only three earned. After six innings the Warrios pulled away 7-2. First-year pitcher John D'Angelo and sophomore pitcher Ben Goldfarb each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
Despite the loss, the Jeffs knew they had opportunities, and in the future, if they cut down on the errors and take advantage of runners in scoring postion, they will see good results. The team is a talented squad that can do some real damage in the NESCAC this season. "The game against Eastern Connecticut shows us that we can hang tough with a competitive team as long as we don't give the opposition extra outs by making too many errors," said Pedley. "Nevertheless, playing in blizzard-like conditions didn't help our cause and I'm sure many of the players were distracted by the cold temperatures and the snow coming down hard."
The Jeffs return to the field this Friday to play Williams at 3:00 at Amherst. They will also play two games on Saturday. "If we can win the series against Williams we will be in great shape to have a playoff birth," said Mazzone.
NESCAC Notes
This weekend's series has a lot of implications as Amherst is currently first in the NESCAC West and Williams is second. Tufts is 3-0 in divison play and is first in the East ahead of 4-1 Bowdoin College.