Box Score
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C. Burke
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N. Burke
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Simon
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Velotta
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Shwartz
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Heide
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Horvath
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Lynd
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Murphy
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Webb
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MYRTLE BEACH, Fla. -- The Bates College baseball team opened the 2009 season with a 6-5 win over Alma College at the Cal Ripken Experience tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Friday.
Down 5-4 in the ninth, the Bobcats (1-0) loaded the bases with two outs. Sophomore Chris Burke (Andover, Mass.) walked in sophomore Noah Burke (Appleton, Maine) for the tying run, and sophomore Jake Simon (Waterford, Conn.) followed with another walk that scored sophomore Rich Velotta (Fairfield, Conn.) with the winning run.
First-year pitcher Demetrios Gatzogiannis (Wells, Maine) pitched the final three innings for Bates, allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out five Scots hitters.
Senior Ben Shwartz (Mattapoisett, Mass.) started for Bates and went 2 2/3 innings. Sophomore Ryan Heide (Medfield, Mass.) went another 2 2/3 in relief, and junior Ryan Horvath (Fort Myers, Fla.) pitched 2/3 innings.
Bates sophomore Noah Lynd (Meriden, N.H.) went 2-for-4 and was the team's lone batter with multiple hits. Bates drew six walks and was hit with a pitch twice.
Nick Townsend had three hits, including two doubles, and scored twice for the Scots (0-1), while Jeremy Stephens had two hits with a run.
Sophomore Pat Murphy (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) had two outfield assists for Bates, both of which halted Alma rallies in which the Scots had a runner on third.
Bates took a 3-0 lead in the second inning when Lynd had a double, Murphy singled, and sophomore Gordy Webb (Hampden, Maine) walked, and Bates took advantage of Alma errors to plate three.
Alma came back and took a 4-3 lead, then went ahead again, 5-4 in the eighth, after Bates tied it at 4-4.
Noah Burke reached on an error with one out, and Velotta drew a two-out walk. Junior Tom Beaton (Newbury, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting up Chris Burke's game-tying walk and Simon's game-winning walk.
Bates will play Richard Stockton College tomorrow at 10 a.m., followed by another game against Alma at 7 p.m.
STATS: Bates 6, Alma 5