Early Errors Sink Mules

WATERVILLE-Early mistakes proved to be too much for the Colby College baseball team to overcome in the Friday afternoon matchup against conference rival Bowdoin College at Coombs Field in Waterville.
While the Mules fought hard to battle back throughout the game, a seventh inning rally by the opposing Polar Bears, including a homerun and an RBI single, sank the home team in the end. The win moves Bowdoin to a 20-5 record on the season, 3-1 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. Colby falls to 9-10, 0-7 in the conference.

The Polar Bears struck first in the game, with the help of a hit batter, two walks, and a Colby College passed ball, in the first inning to score a run. They added to their lead in the second inning, thanks to two more hit batters, a sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly by catcher Reid Auger.

Colby fought back, using a two-run single by senior Nick Ruocco in the second inning to erase the deficit. Bowdoin wasted no time getting their lead back, receiving an RBI single by Kevin Zikaras in the third to put them on top 3-2, but again that lead was erased in the next half inning, courtesy of Brendan Gallagher’s two-run triple and Nikolas Atsalis’ RBI single. The Mules led 5-3 at the end of the third.

Both teams fought hard in this back and forth battle, pitching and strategy to garner runs. The Polar Bears took the lead for good in the seventh inning though, scoring two runs in the seventh and adding an insurance run in the eighth inning, taking advantage of one of only five Bowdoin hits in the game.

Carter Butland earned the win in relief for the Polar Bears, while Brady Hesslein took the loss for Colby. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Saturday in a double header, although due to the impending weather, the meeting is subject to change.