Baseball was in seventh heaven vs. Hamilton

Author: Andrew Schlegel

After losing a crucial three-game set with NESCAC West rival Amherst last weekend, the Middlebury baseball team rebounded when it took the field against Hamilton on April 27 and 28.

The Continentals came to Forbes Field at the bottom of the division standings, with a 2-7 record, and Middlebury did not give them an inch, sweeping all three games.

Middlebury had needed to win the series against Amherst last weekend to make a run at the NESCAC postseason, but Amherst's Nick Kehoe pitched a one-hitter and the Jeffs exploded for 16 runs in the rubber match.

With their playoff chances in jeopardy, the Panthers continued to play hard against Hamilton. With three more wins to their credit, now they can only hope that the Continentals do to the Jeffs as Middlebury did to them.

In the first game, Justin Wright '08 went all nine innings as the Panthers won 7-1. His only earned run came when Hamilton's three and four-hitters John Porges and Pat McGarry strung together consecutive hits with two outs in the top of the ninth.

"Our pitching has been solid all season and it continued for the most part this weekend," wrote fellow pitcher Jack Britton '08. "Justin threw great."

Middlebury did not score until the fourth inning of Friday's game, but from then right on through the eighth inning the team scored at least one run.

Tri-Captain John Lanahan '08 started the outburst with a lead-off double to the right-center field gap. It was the first of two doubles and three hits for the third baseman on the afternoon. He would later come in on Danny Seymour's '10 sacrifice fly.

In the sixth, Tri-Captain Nick Lefeber's '08 two-out single drove in both Seymour and Tyler Lohman '08.5 to break the game open at 4-0. The four-run margin was more than enough for the victory.

In the second game of the series - a 7-5 Middlebury win -Tri-Captain Noah Walker '07 contributed three hits as he boosted his team-leading average to .461. Erich Enns '10 tripled and singled and drove in two runs.

"Erich is making a legitimate bid at Rookie of the Year," wrote Lefeber.

Not only is Enns anchoring the Panther outfield with his solid play in centerfield, but he is also hitting .385. He is one of the most productive players on offense for the Panthers and he continued his timely hitting this weekend.

In Middlebury's 7-2 victory in the third game, Lanahan had a double and a triple, as he drove in three runs to support pitcher Rob Palladino '09.

"They had a good lineup, with very talented two, three, and four-hitters," wrote Palladino. "I made good pitches in the right counts and kept my pitch count down and ended up going nine [innings]. The defense behind me was outstanding, and a great play by left fielder Tim Dillon '09 on a diving catch really got the guys fired up."

With their remaining games against NESCAC East opponents Bowdoin and Bates, the Panthers can only cross their fingers and hope that somehow Hamilton helps them out.