March 29, 2002

AMHERST, MA – The Amherst College baseball team fell victim to a complete-game pitching performance by Wesleyan University junior southpaw Dave Vanech (Providence, RI), as the visiting Cardinals downed the Jeffs 11-6 in both team's NESCAC West Division opener on Friday. With the loss, Amherst fell to 7-6 overall, while Wesleyan improved to 7-5. 

Things looked good for the hosts early-on. With two outs in the opening frame, Amherst first-year left fielder David Powers (Andover, MA) doubled to right field and trotted home on an RBI-single by sophomore third baseman Matt Potter (Durham, NC). Potter then advanced on a single by junior DH Devin Haran (Basking Ridge, NJ) and scored an unearned run on an infield throwing error, giving the Jeffs an early 2-0 cushion. Unfortunately, those were the last meaningful runs Amherst would score all afternoon. 

Wesleyan went on to rack up three runs in the second, one in the third and five in the fourth inning off Amherst senior starter Jeff Leduc (Pittsfield, MA), opening up what turned out to be an insurmountable 9-2 advantage. At the same time, Vanech (2-1) settled into a groove, overcoming five Wesleyan errors to hold the Jeffs at bay until the sixth inning, when senior catcher J.R. Drabick (Lebanon, NH) finally snapped Amherst's scoring drought with an RBI-double. 

Amherst first-year Ed Imperatore (Tenafly, NJ) came on to relieve Leduc (1-1) in the fifth inning and pitched well, holding Wesleyan to just five hits and two unearned runs over the last five innings. However, the Jeffs only managed four more runs off Vanech down the stretch – one of which came on Powers' first career home run in the bottom of the ninth. 

Junior second baseman Jim Barletto (Hull, MA) helped pace Wesleyan offensively with four hits in five at-bats, while sophomore catcher Angus Freudenburg (Concord, NH) went 3-for-5 with five RBI's. Sophomore first baseman Justin Vincent (Longmeadow, MA) also drove in two runs with a pair of singles. 

Potter paced Amherst with three hits, while Powers, Drabick and senior second baseman John Brody (Baltimore, MD) added two hits each. 

Amherst and Wesleyan will continue their three-game set with a NESCAC West Division doubleheader Saturday at noon in Middletown, CT. 

Click HERE for full box score...