AMHERST, Mass. -- First-year right-hander
Nick Fassert tossed eight no-hit innings Friday on Memorial Field and got some help from senior
Jack Sampedro, who finished off the combined no-hitter in the top of the ninth, then delivered a two-out, game-winning single to left in the bottom of the inning to give the Amherst College baseball team a thrilling 2-1 victory over archrival Williams.
The Mammoths improved to 9-11 overall and 2-1 in the NESCAC West. Williams fell to 10-7 overall and 3-1 in divisional play. The two teams take Saturday off but get back at it Sunday with a twinbill in Williamstown beginning at 1 p.m.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
* Fassert was on from the start, retiring the first nine Ephs he faced. Williams starter Peyton Rose was equal to the task, getting six Mammoths in a row. In the Amherst third, senior
Jack McDermott -- in his first game since March -- was hit by a Rose pitch and
Ben Smith followed with a walk, but Rose struck out the next three batters to end the threat.
* Williams clawed out a run in the top of the fourth on a walk, error, wild pitch and RBI-groundout.
* Amherst answered in its half of the fifth when McDermott worked a lead-off walk and, after an out,
Aiden Dubetsky also walked. Senior
Jack Boyle followed with an RBI-single through the left side of the infield.
* Fassert retired seven consecutive batters until a one-out walk in the sixth. After the free pass, he set down the next eight Ephs in a row and departed after the top of the eighth without allowing a hit, walking just two and striking out five.
* Sampedro worked a scoreless, hitless top of the ninth -- working around a walk -- to keep the 1-1 tie intact.
* In the bottom of the inning, Dubetsky drew a lead-off walk and was sacrificed to second by Boyle. After the second out, Dubetsky took third on a wild pitch before Sampedro lined a 2-2 pitch into left field to scored the winning run and set off a wild Mammoth celebration.
BY THE NUMBERS:
* Fassert threw 110 pitches and induced 15 groundball outs of the 24 outs he was responsible for.
* Sampedro picked up the win and went 2 for 5 with an RBI in the win. McDermott made an immediate impact, reaching base all four times and finishing 1 for 1 with a double, two walks and one hit by pitch.