NASHUA, N.H.  – After claiming a 3-1 win in the opener Sunday to force a decisive game seven, the Amherst College baseball team dropped a heartbreaker in a thrilling 12-inning nightcap to Wesleyan University, 4-3, in the 2015 NESCAC Baseball Championship at Holman Stadium.

The Cardinals repeat as conference champions as they improved to 28-9 overall, and earned the NESCAC automatic bid in the NCAA Championship. The Jeffs, who last won the title in 2013, fell short despite an impressive run. They dropped to 26-13 on the season and await their NCAA tournament fate, as the NCAA announces the bracket with a press release at midnight.

GAME 1: AMHERST 3, WESLEYAN 1
The Jeffs rallied from an early 1-0 deficit in the opener to force a winner-takes-all game seven. Amherst was fueled by stellar pitching performances from Keenan Szulik '16, Sam Schneider '18 and Mike Castiglie '17. The trio allowed just one run on seven hits, while Yanni Thanopoulos '17 hit the game-winning double in the top of the fourth.

Thanopoulos went 2-for-3 from the plate and scored a run, and Andrew Vandini '16 and Tyler Jacobs '15 each finished 2-for-4. Harry Roberson '18 went 1-for-3 with a RBI, and two others recorded a hit as the Purple & White totaled nine as a team.

Wesleyan finished with seven hits and were led by Marco Baratta's 2-for-3 performance. Donnie Cimino and Sam Goodwin-Boyd each hit for a double, while three others recorded singles. Sam Elias pitched a complete game for the Cardinals, allowing just three runs (two earned) with six strikeouts and zero walks.

In the bottom of the first, Goodwin-Boyd doubled to center field to bring home Andrew Yin as Wesleyan took a 1-0 lead. However, after a scoreless second, Jacobs hit a lead-off single through the left side and eventually scored on a sacrifice bunt by Roberson to even the game at 1-1.

The following inning, Mike Odenwaelder '16 led off with an infield single and scored the game-winning run on the next at bat following a double to right field by Thanopoulos. The sophomore stole third shortly after and reached home after a throwing error by the Cardinals. Amherst's pitching allowed just four runs the rest of the game en route to the 3-1 victory.

GAME 2: WESLEYAN 4, AMHERST 3 (12 innings)
The nightcap went 12 innings and featured a total of 12 pitchers. Odenwaelder and Sam Ellinwood '18 led the Jeffs with two hits and a home run each. Five others recorded a single to bring Amherst's hit total to nine. The Purple & White used seven different pitchers as they totaled eight strikeouts, four earned runs and 12 hits.

The Cardinals were led offensively by Andrew Yin, who went 3-for-5 with three doubles, a RBI and two runs scored. Cimino finished 3-for-6 with a RBI, Davidson went 2-for-6 with two RBI and Jonathan Dennett finished 2-for-5 to highlight Wesleyan's bats. Peter Rantz started on the mound and went 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Ethan Rode was credited with the win after 2.0 innings. He did not allow a run and surrendered just one hit.

After four innings of scoreless play, Wesleyan got on the board in the top of the fifth. Yin doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning and scored two batters later as Guy Davidson drove him in with a single to left field.

The Cardinals added to the lead in the seventh when Yin hit another double to get in scoring position. Cimino then singled to right field to lift Wesleyan's lead to 2-0. However, Amherst retaliated in the bottom half of the inning. Odenwaelder hit a lead-off home run to cut the deficit to one. After a walk and fielder's choice, Ellinwood then homered over the left field fence to give the Purple & White a 3-2 lead.

Trailing by one entering the ninth, Ellis Schaefer reached first after getting hit by a pitch as Yin stepped to the plate. For the third consecutive at-bat, he doubled to bring in the game-tying run. In the bottom half of the inning, Amherst loaded the bases with two outs but were unable to capitalize as they stranded three runners on base. After holding the Cardinals scoreless in the 10th, the Purple & White loaded the bases once again but for the second straight inning, the Jeffs could not take advantage.

In the top of the 12th inning, the Cardinals broke the scoreless streak as Davidson hit a lead-off, game-winning home run to left field. Wesleyan left two runners on base, but it didn't matter as Rode got Amherst to ground out into a double play to end the game.