MEDFORD, Mass. -- Top-seeded Colby College scored seven runs over its final three at-bats Friday to top Amherst College, 11-3, in the opener of the NESCAC Tournament Championship weekend at Tufts University's Sol Gittleman Park.

The Mammoths fell to 25-10 with the loss while Colby improved to 29-8. Amherst will face the loser of the later game Friday between Middlebury and Tufts Saturday at 10:30 a.m. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* Despite the final score, this was a 2-1 game after 5 1/2 innings.  Amherst sophomore Tristan Kim and Colby sophomore Derek Woods were locked in a scoreless pitcher's dual for the first three innings. 

* In the Amherst second, singles by Jack Dove and Luke Padian put runners on first and second with one out, but a double play ended the threat. 

* With the game still scoreless, Dove and Charlie LaFreniere produced two-out singles, but a fly out to left ended the frame. The Mules loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth and, with two outs, Colby senior Patrick McConnell delivered a key two-run single to commence the scoring. 

* Amherst got a run back in the top of the sixth. Jack Sampedro ripped a one-out single and scored when Dove followed with a shot into the left-center field gap that went for an RBI-double. Dove was thrown out trying to steal for the second out, and LaFreniere followed with a single. He was left stranded however.

* Colby was able to drive Kim from the game in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs and no one on, back-to-back singles plus a passed ball put Mule runners on second and third. That brought up McConnell again and again he delivered with a second two-run single that made it 4-1 Colby. 

* The Mammoths trailed 6-1 entering the top of the eighth but put together a rally when Ryan McIntyre doubled to left center with one out and Dove scored him with a  two-out single to center. LaFreniere then ripped an opposite-field shot off the wall in right field that scored Dove to make it 6-3. 

* Colby put the game away with a five-run bottom of the eighth to account for the 11-3 score. 

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Amherst had 11 hits. The offense was led by Dove, who went 4 for 4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. LaFreniere went 3 for 4 with an RBI.

* Kim took the loss, falling to 2-2. He threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and one walk while striking out four.