April 19, 2002
AMHERST, MA - The Amherst College baseball team downed visiting NESCAC West Division foe Hamilton College, 5-1, Friday afternoon at Memorial Field. After a brief rain delay, senior hurler Jeff Leduc (Pittsfield, MA) came out and tossed a complete-game, allowing just one run and six hits while striking out six Hamilton batters. Junior designated hitter Jarret Solomon (Simsbury, CT) paced the Jeffs offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. First-year left fielder David Powers (Andover, MA) also contributed, scoring a run and knocking in a run, on a 2-for-4 performance.
Leduc blasted out of the gate early, striking out the first pair of Continental batters he faced. He carried a no-hitter into the top of the fourth until junior second baseman Brett Zalaski (Simsbury, CT) singled up the middle. Amherst pierced the scoring column in the bottom half of the fourth with a pair of runs. Junior rightfielder Josh Schneider (Grand Rapids, MI) started the inning with a lead-off bunt and later scored when Powers belted a ground rule double that skipped over the left field wall. Junior first baseman Joe Katuska (Southboro, MA) singled to center, advancing Powers to third. Senior second baseman John Brody (Baltimore, MD) then knocked down a sacrifice bunt scoring Powers, giving the hosts a 2-0 advantage.
The Jeffs tallied another run in the bottom of the sixth when Potter scored on a fielder's choice hit deep in the left infield hole by Katuska. The Continentals threatened in the top of the seventh. Junior designated hitter Semmi Taylor (Delray Beach, FL) came up with the bases loaded and one out. He smoked a liner into left field but Powers was there to make a great diving catch that allowed only one runner to score on the sacrifice. Leduc then struck out the final batter to end the top of the seventh. Amherst knocked in a run in the seventh and eighth innings to set the final score at 5-1.
Leduc improves to 3-1 overall, while Continental pitcher James Harrison (Hingham, MA) took the loss and fell to 3-4. With the victory, Amherst improves to 12-13 overall and 3-4 in conference play while Hamilton drops to 7-14 and 1-5.
The Jeffs return to action to face visiting Hamilton again Saturday, in a doubleheader that begins at noon at Memorial Field.
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