Ephs look to repeat NESCAC title this weekend

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — Winners of 11 of its last 12 games, the Williams College baseball team appears ready to battle it out for the 2008 NESCAC Tournament title beginning Friday at 3 p.m. when the Ephs take on Tufts (18-13) at Wesleyan's Andrus Field.

The Ephs (24-10) are the defending NESCAC champions, winning their second title, and first since 2001, last year. Only Williams and Amherst have won multiple NESCAC titles. The 2008 tournamnt will be a three-day, double-elimination affair hosted by East Division winner Trinity (34-0) with games being played in Hartford and Middletown, Conn. The event concludes on Sunday, May 11 at 10:00 a.m.

All games in the 2008 NESCAC Baseball Tournament will be available on TEAMLINE (audio only) for FREE. Eph fans can access TEAMLINE by clicking on the TEAMLINE logo on the bottom of the Williams Athletics homepage. To listen over a telephone dial 1-800-846-4700. The Eph access code is 0126.

The Ephs are 1-4 against the field this season. They did not face the record-setting Bantams, but went 0-2 against Tufts, losing a doubleheader by identical 2-1 scores at home April 6. The Ephs went 1-2 against rival Amherst, losing 4-3 and 6-5 to the Lord Jeffs April 13 and defeating them by a 9-4 score on May 4 in a game played at Wahconah Park in Pittsfield.

Trinity comes in 5-0 against the field with three wins over Tufts by a combined score of 39-13 and two wins over Amherst, 7-5 in 11 innings and 6-4. Amherst is 2-3 against the field. The Jeffs did not face Tufts, but went 2-1 against Williams and 0-2 against Trinity. Tufts also went 2-3, with the two wins over Williams and the three losses to Trinity.

Williams comes into the weekend hitting .331 as a team, fourth in the NESCAC. Sophomore right fielder Al Mathews has come on to lead the Ephs in batting with a .407 average and also has a .604 slugging percentage, with five doubles, five triples and one home ru on the season. Senior cocaptains James DiCosmo and Max Pinto have been enjoying fine campaigns as well, with DiCosmo hitting at a .394 clip with 10 stolen bases and 11 attempts. Pinto leads the Ephs in several categories, including doubles (15), home runs (3) and RBI (37). His .513 on-base percentage and .653 slugging percentage lead the club as well, and he's stolen 11 bases in 11 attempts. 

Sophomore shortstop Robin Allemand is another offensive weapon for Williams with a .363 average and team-highs in runs scored (42), triples (7) and stolen bases (13). Regulars Chad Brown (.322), Zach Stone (.313) and Taylor Mikell (.310) are also above .300.

On the mound, junior left-hander Dan Benz is 6-2 with a 3.06 ERA and a team-high 53 innings pitched. He's allowed only 34 hits and 22 walks in those innings while striking out 50. Senior Matt Gustafson has also enjoyed a fine year, with a team-best 1.87 ERA among starting pitchers. Junior southpaw Ben Horwitz and sophomore Paul Burgdorf are both 3-2.

2008 NESCAC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Day 1 - Friday, May 9
Game 1 - W2 Amherst at E1 Trinity - 3:00 p.m. - at Trinity, Hartford, Conn.
Game 2 - E2 Tufts vs. W1 Williams - 3:00 p.m. - at Wesleyan, Middletown, Conn.

Day 2 - Saturday, May 10
Game 3 - Loser of GM 1 vs. Loser of GM 2 - 10:30 a.m. - at Wesleyan, Middletown, Conn.
Game 4 - Winner of GM 1 vs. Winner of GM 2 - 10:30 a.m. - at Trinity, Hartford, Conn.
Game 5 - Winner of GM 3 vs. Loser of GM 4 - 2:30 p.m. - at Trinity, Hartford, Conn.

Day 3 - Sunday, May 11 at Trinity
Game 6 - Winner of GM 4 vs. Winner of GM 5 - 10:00 a.m.
Game 7 - If Necessary - Immediately Following