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Volume CXXXII, Number 23 |
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Baseball cracks down on Bates
BOBBY DESAULNIERS
STAFF WRITER
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| A Bowdoin lefty loosens up during practice. (Hans Law, Bowdoin Orient) |
Bowdoin Baseball's season has been characterized by daunting losses and mind-blowing wins. These ups and downs reflect the stratified NESCAC division. At the top is Trinity and Tufts, but from here there is a drastic change in terms of quality opponents. Not surprisingly, this is where Bates and Colby reside.
Bowdoin rests in that perfect position between the two. As it has proven against Tufts and Trinity, the junior-led team has the ability to pull off big wins. With that, however, comes a responsibility to put the wins on the board against teams that play below. Bowdoin, thus far, has taken three out of four from in-state rivals Bates and Colby. Last weekend, the squad took two from Bates.
Last Friday, the Bears made the trek up to Lewiston, or the "City on the Rise" as some call it. The number one starter, first-year Trevor "Unchecked Aggression" Powers, has been a staple on the mound this year for the Bears. As the game went into extra innings against Bates, he stayed in and threw ten innings of one-run ball while striking out seven.
Offensively, the Bears struggled throughout the game. John Clifford '04, Manny Lora '04, and Kevin "Not only am I nasty at baseball, but apparently I'm smart too" Bougie '04 all had two hits. The winning run, however, came in the tenth inning when, with two runners on, Clifford air-mailed one over the fence. The Bears hung on and pulled off a huge late inning win, 4-1, over the Bobcats.
In the first game on Saturday, Mark "No, I don't play for the Rams" Bulger '06 got the start. He went over five innings and pitched solidly, not giving up an earned run. Complimenting Bulger's pitching, the Bowdoin hitters were hot. Jim Shea '05 went two-for-four and Bougie and Clifford both went one-for-three with a pair of home runs between them.
After a game where the bats had been silent, the Bears came out and did it with the sticks. This win paved the possibility for a three-game sweep of the Bobcats.
The second game of the double-header proved to be a tough one for the Bears. Ricky Leclerc '06 took the mound for the Bears and pitched a strong game. In six plus innings of work, he gave up only three runs.
Even with good work on the mound-you need to score runs to win ballgames. After its offensive explosion in the first game, the Bears only had five hits in the second game. They put up three runs, but they could not contain the offense of the Bobcats. In the seventh inning, a two-run double sealed the lead for Bates.
Last Wednesday, the Bears played a non-league game against Husson College. Andy Workman '04 got the start for the Bears and pitched seven solid innings. He let up the only four runs of the game for Husson, three of which were earned. Travis Dube '04, who has evolved into a staple closer for the Bears, finished the game. The Bears also came up big at the plate and put up seven to beat Husson 7-4.
Some notable offensive performances for the Bears include sophomore Tom McMahon's home run and Shady Shea's '05 three-hit outing. Also, known for being an incredible wingman for his stud of a roommate, Justin "Little Wingy Wingy" King '04 went two-for-five with a home run. That's pretty good for a guy who started the season with a Napoleonic complex and only had a sack of strawberries to show for it.
After taking two against Bates and beating Husson, the Bears go into this weekend looking ahead. They play two at Colby on Saturday and then travel to Middlebury for a double header.
Taking all four this weekend would be a great end to a season full of ups and downs for the Polar Bears. Plus, you can't bring that kind of negative energy into the Pete Schuh Tournament anyway.
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