Baseball Swept in Weekend Bouts against Trinity and Castleton State

Middlebury is scratching its head after falling twice to Trinity on Saturday, April 26 and twice to Castleton State on Sunday, April 27. The team plated just two runs over the four-game span; its offensive woes persisting like a stubborn grass stain. On the bright side, Middlebury kept up solid pitching and defense to keep three of the games low-scoring affairs. Eric Truss ’15, Dylan Kane ’15 and Logan Mobley ’15 made competitive starts on the mound, getting quality bullpen help from Jake Stalcup ’17.

Cool rain and blustery wind created a sinister setting for Saturday’s contest on Forbes Field against the visiting Trinity College Bantams. The Bantams struck for two runs in the first inning, one being smacked home by a deep triple, and the other dribbling in on a wild pitch.

In the second inning, Trinity small-balled a leadoff single home with a sacrifice bunt, a forced balk and finally a fielding error. The fourth run came in a similarly messy fashion, with the runner walking to first base, earning second on a botched pick-off attempt, then stealing third and home at once when the throw to third base missed its target.

Imitating many Middlebury students, the Panthers procrastinated their offense until the final inning. Jason Lock ’17 roped a single through the right side and designated hitter Johnny Luke ‘16 connected with power for a double. Jason Lock ’17 would score on a ground ball hit by Garrett Werner ’16 but the rally stopped soon thereafter.

The second game was tight until Trinity screwed and glued the Middlebury coffin shut with 10 runs in the final three innings. Despite keeping it close on the defensive side, Middlebury never mounted any serious threat at the plate, striking out 10 times and earning just four hits on its 25 at bats.

Three Middlebury errors and a balk turned Trinity’s five hits into eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Two more runs came in the seventh to complete the day’s romp at 11-0.

Getting on the bus to Castleton offered Middlebury a chance to put Saturday’s rainy struggle behind, but the team suffered two very close road losses to a very capable Castleton St. team.

Kane pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits. In the bottom of the first, Cullen Coleman ’17 helped out his pitcher with a stellar diving catch in left field, landing in the puddle that doubled as the outfield grass.

“He was soaked for the rest of the game,” Alex Kelly ’14 remarked, “the outfield was a mess.”

After four innings, Kane had allowed just one hit, but in the fifth the Spartans strung together four hits and moved ahead 2-0.

The Panthers put runners on third base in both the sixth and seventh innings but failed to put their metal bats onto the speeding leather when it would have counted.

Luke had two doubles and a single in four final inning plate appearances this weekend, fulfilling his prophetic comment last week, “The reason we haven’t been winning the one-run games is simply because we haven’t been getting clutch hitting at the right times, but that will come around.”

Unfortunately, Luke’s late-inning heroics were not enough to earn the Panthers a victory in over the weekend.

The second game was an absolute butter popcorn drama decided by a final play at home plate. Middlebury fell behind by two runs in the first, but rallied in the final inning again. With two outs, Lock on third base and Luke on second, Werner lasered a single to right field. Lock scored easily and Luke was waved home by the third base coach but the outfielder made a perfect throw just in time to catch a sliding Luke.

Kelly described the frustration level this season as “at times nearly unbearable,” but held onto some positive takeaways from the weekend.

“It’s clear to see the defense has come a really long way, which has a lot to do with the younger guys like Johnny Read ’17 and Joe MacDonald ’16 making the plays we need to make,” Kelly said, “that plus some great starts by the staff.”

Middlebury hosts Bowdoin on Saturday, May 3 and Tufts Sunday, May 4 for a pair of doubleheaders to finish the season.