May 8, 2004 

HARTFORD, CT - Behind a three-run home run by junior Dave Powers (Andover, MA), a solo shot by senior co-captain Tom Sullivan (Tewksbury, MA) and a complete-game pitching performance by rookie hurler Brian Donahue (Sudbury, MA), the Amherst College baseball team advanced to the NESCAC Tournament championship game for the second straight season with a 4-1 win over Bowdoin College Saturday afternoon at Trinity College. 

Amherst (18-16) will play the winner of Saturday's loser's bracket elimination game between Williams College and Bowdoin Sunday at 10 a.m. at Trinity, with the conference title and an automatic berth in the Division III NCAA Tournament at stake. 

Donahue was a horse on Saturday, surviving eight hits, three walks and an earned run, upping his pitching record to 6-1 with his third complete game of the season. Powers' three-run blast - his fourth of the season - came in the top of the first inning after senior Brandon Cody (Boston, MA) and sophomore Dave Levinson (Philadelphia, PA) reached with a pair of walks. Sullivan added his second home run in as many days (and third round-tripper of the season) in the top of the fifth. 

Amherst managed three hits but drew four walks off Bowdoin starter Ricky Leclerc (Manchester, NH), who went the distance but fell to 5-1 with the hard-luck loss. Bowdoin finishes its season at 25-13. 

Amherst advanced through the winners bracket to the championship game in last year's NESCAC Tournament as well, but dropped a season-ending doubleheader to Trinity on the final day of the tournament. 

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