Press Release

WILLIAMS ENDS PURPLE KNIGHTS' FIVE-GAME WINNING STREAK FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      FOR MORE INFORMATION April 17, 2004                                                                            Contact: Seth Cole Courtesy Williams Sports Information                                          Phone: (802) 654-2537 WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – With a doubleheader at NESCAC foes Bates looming on Sunday, the Williams baseball team (21-5) kept its mind on Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader, and cruised to two easy wins, 12-5 and 17-1 over St. Michael’s (9-11-1). The Eph bats were hot all day, and made things easy for the pitching staff, which had plenty of run support to work with. “It was great for the bats to come alive today,” said senior pitcher Leo Salinger. “It also gave us a chance to get everyone in the game, which was nice to see.” The first game was a back and forth battle in the early innings. Williams took an early 3-1 lead on first year Jim O’Leary’s two RBI single to right. St. Michaels came right back and made it a 4-4 ballgame in the fourth inning after senior Jabe Bergeron had homered in the bottom of the third. On the mound for the Ephs, junior ace Chris Bodnar took a sterling 0.60 ERA into the game, but uncharacteristically seemed to struggle with his command. “I felt OK out there but I just couldn’t hit my spots,” said the lefthander. “They’re a good team, but I knew we were going to get some runs, so I tried to just stay focused and keep pitching.” Sure enough, Williams responded at the plate and gave Bodnar the runs he would need. Junior Guy Smith’s sacrifice fly in the fourth made it 5-4, and the Ephs put the game out of reach with a strong fifth inning. With Bergeron and junior Mark Chmiel on base, first year Paul Morgan roped a double off the wall, to make it 6-4. Sophomore Tim Burbridge followed with a two RBI triple that just got by a sliding rightfielder. Finally, O’Leary added his third RBI with a single to left. After St. Michael’s got a run back in the top of the sixth, Bergeron responded with his second home run of the game, this one a powerful three run blast to center, which plated Smith and junior Scott Johnson. Bodnar earned the win with a complete seven innings of work, scattering eight hits, and giving up five runs (four earned). For St. Michael’s, freshman Michael Frimodig (Essex Jct., Vt./Essex) went four and a third innings, giving up eleven hits and nine earned runs, in getting the loss. The second game centered on one sensational inning for the Williams offense. With junior Noah Allen on the hill for Williams, neither team could find much offense, before the Eph offense erupted for fourteen runs in the bottom of the third. Williams opened the scoring when Morgan finished a long at bat with an RBI single. With the bases loaded, Bergeron grounded to third but the throw to first was wild, and two more runners scored on the play to make it 3-0. The Ephs added two more before first year Ryan Fote dropped a two RBI single into center to make it a 8-0 contest. Bergeron followed with another two RBI single, before Burbridge’s two RBI grounder demonstrated that on this afternoon, all the bounces were going Williams’ way. A sharp liner came right back to the mound, but it rebounded off starter Dan O’Connor’s (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) leg and dribbled far enough to let Burbridge reach base while scoring the runners who had been going on contact with two outs. O”Leary provided the final run of the inning when he beat out an infield RBI single. From that point forward, the game was effectively over. The Purple Knights did manage to get a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Ephs added three of their own in the late innings to make it a 17-1 scoreline. Junior Justin Anderson got two innings of work and allowed one hit and no runs, while Salinger closed the game out with an effective inning of his own, despite hitting one batter. Allen got the win for the Ephs, going the first four innings, and yielding two hits and one earned run. For St. Michael’s O’Connor took the loss, allowing five hits and ten runs (five earned) in two and two third innings. Williams now travels to Bates for a doubleheader. “We’re facing their top two pitchers, but the goal is always to get two W’s,” said Salinger. “But once you cross that border into Maine you never know what is gonna happen.” The games are set for a 12:00 start. Saint Michael's returns to action on Sunday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader versus in-state rival Castleton State College at Doc Jacobs Field. ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002