MCLA Ends Season With Loss at Williams
Posted: Apr 30, 2015

MCLA Ends Season With Loss at Williams

Courtesy of Williams College Sports Information

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The Williams College Ephs closed out their home season with a victory against the neighboring MCLA Trailblazers by a score of 4-3. The Ephs raised are now 12-17 on the season, while MCLA falls to 11-18.

Dylan Griswold earned the start for the Ephs against MCLA's Todd Hunt. Griswold had an impressive 6-inning outing despite a difficult first inning that saw him give up three runs. With 2 gone, Tyler Benoit and Chase Preite both singled. Then Rory Slattery homered over the left-field wall, catapulting MCLA into a 3-0 lead in the top of the 1st.

Griswold got out of the inning and proceeded to shut the Trailblazers down for the next 5 innings, not giving up another hit and only one walk. The Eph pitching staff of Griswold as well as Eddie Kelly, Thomas Murphy, and Jacob Slaterallowed only 2 more hits in the entire game.
The Williams offense responded in the 2nd inning with a pair of leadoff singles by Luke Pierce and Nate Michalski. Pierce, who had reached third on a hit and run with Michalski, scored off a sac fly by Jackson Parese.
 
Later in the inning, Phil McGovern singled to centerfield with the bases loaded to score 2 more Eph runs and even the score at 3.
Behind Griswold's excellent pitching, Williams scored the go-ahead run in the 5th. MCLA reliever Ryan Grande walked two batters with two outs, setting up Adam Dulsky to score from 2nd when Nate Michalksi blooped his 0-1 pitch to center.
 
Other than this slip-up, Grande and his reliever Eamonn Andre held the Ephs scoreless for the rest of the game, allowing only 2 hits and striking out a combined 6. However, the MCLA batters couldn't break the Eph pitchers, and the game ended on a groundout to shortstop in the top of the 9th.
Dylan Griswold (1-1) recorded the win, while Ryan Grande (1-5) was charged with the loss. At the plate, Rory Slattery led the Trailblazers with all 3 RBI's on the strength of his 1st-inning homer, while Phil McGovern recorded 2 RBI's for Williams. Luke Pierce and Nate Michalski both contributed 2 hits to the Eph cause.
Williams faces Suffolk on Saturday, while this game was the last on MCLA's schedule. 
The game was the last for MCLA seniors Tyler Benoit, Chase Preite, Rory Slattery, Alon Willing, Mike Sullivan and Mike Mancivalano.