Courtesy Trinity Sports Information

Box Score

HARTFORD, Conn. - Freshman second baseman Mark Mazzone went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI, including the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Amherst College Lord Jeffs to a 5-4 victory over the Williams College Ephmen in the finals of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Baseball Championship Tournament this afternoon at Trinity College.

The Lord Jeffs, who improve to 19-16, win their first NESCAC Championship title and earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. Williams, with a record of 30-12, hope to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tourney when they are announced on May 16. Amherst improves to 19-16, as the Lord Jeffs swept through the league tournament with three wins in three games to capture their first NESCAC Championship Baseball title.

Amherst built a 4-0 lead into the final frame, as senior co-captain RHP Duncan Webb (pictured left) held the Ephs scoreless through eight innings and recorded the first two outs in the ninth before Williams junior OF Guy Smith blooped a single into right field to keep the Ephs alive in their final at-bat. Williams junior 2B Scott Johnson followed with another single, and senior co-captain 1B Jabe Bergeron sent the next pitch to the right field wall where the ball found its way into Amherst freshman RF Tom Scott’s glove but bounced out of the park as Scott collided with the fence.

After Amherst junior righty Ed Imperatore came in for Webb, who allowed nine hits and struck out five in a no-decision, Eph freshman C Chris Kenney doubled to left field and junior OF Mark Chmiel singled to the same spot to score Kenney and tie the score at 4-4.

In the ninth inning, Amherst senior OF Paul Whiting (pictured right on 3B) led off with a double over the third base bag and was sacrificed to third by senior co-captain C Tom Sullivan. Williams freshman reliever Sam Tuttle, who allowed four hits and one run in 3.2 innings of relief, got the next batter to pop up, but Mazzone laced a single into center field that scored Whiting easily for the winning run.

Amherst took advantage of four Williams errors to record its first four runs unearned off Eph junior starter Noah Allen. Mazzone drove in Whiting with a single, after an errant throw by Allen allowed Whiting an extra base on an attempted sacrifice in the third inning. Allen hit the leadoff batter and walked the next in the sixth inning, and both scored after a second error by Allen and an RBI groundout by Whiting. Sullivan added an RBI single to give the Jeffs a 4-0 lead after six frames.

2004 NESCAC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Day One - Friday, May 7
Game 1: Amherst 16, Trinity 8
Game 2: Bowdoin 6, Williams 3

Day Two - Saturday, May 8
Game 3: Williams 9, Trinity 4
Game 4: Amherst 4, Bowdoin 1
Game 5: Williams 9, Bowdoin 3

Day Three - Sunday, May 9
Game 6: Amherst 5, Williams 4