March 21, 2002

FORT MYERS, FL – The Amherst baseball team posted its second straight defeat on Thursday, falling 9-6 to the University of Southern Maine – ranked seventh in the nation according to the latest ABCA Division III poll – in Fort Myers, Florida. Junior first baseman Brett Nicol (Orinda, CA) cracked his second career round-tripper in defeat, as the Jeffs dropped to 3-4 on the season. 

Amherst sophomore starter Andy Kerns (Barrington, IL) took the loss, surrendering an earned run with two walks and a pair of wild pitches before exiting in the first inning. Junior southpaw Chris Vecsey (Madison, NY) allowed seven earned runs over the next 4.2 innings in relief. Rookie reliever Kyle Lavery (Westbury, NY) then made his first career appearance and pitched well in just over two innings, before fellow first-year Ed Imperatore (Tenafly, NJ) finished the game with a perfect frame in the bottom of the eighth. 

The Jeffs managed just five hits, including Nicol's solo homer. First-year phenom David Powers (Andover, MA) drove in two runs with a pair of hits, while sophomore third baseman Matt Potter (Durham, NC) went 1-for-3 with two walks. 

Amherst sophomore Paul Whiting (Mission Viejo, CA) continued his strong defensive play, scaling the center-field wall to rob a pair of would-be home runs. Whiting also robbed a potential round-tripper in the Jeffs' season-opening 5-4 win over third-ranked Ohio Wesleyan University. 

Amherst returns to action Friday at 1 p.m. against St. Lawrence University. The Jeffs will then play a doubleheader against Kalamazoo College on Saturday, before concluding their Florida trip Sunday at 9 a.m. against the defending Division III national champion University of St. Thomas. 

Click HERE for full box score...