LEWISTON, Maine – Left-handed senior pitcher Brad Reynolds struck out 12 batters in his first-ever complete game as Bates College baseball beat Colby College 5-0 in game one of a NESCAC East Division three-game series on Friday afternoon at Leahey Field.
The Bobcats (17-11, 5-3 NESCAC East) moved three games ahead of the Mules (14-10, 4-6 NESCAC East) in the loss column in the race for a spot in the NESCAC Championship. The two teams will complete the three-game set with a doubleheader at Colby tomorrow beginning at noon.
Reynolds (Lafayette, Colo.) scattered four hits and a walk over the nine-inning shutout to improve to 5-1 on the year. Senior
Griff Tewksbury (Concord, N.H.) went 3-for-3 at the plate with a two-RBI double and a walk, and junior
Rockwell Jackson (Fort Worth, Texas) recorded two hits and two runs scored.
Junior Scott Goldberg (Valley Stream, N.Y.) took the loss (3-2) for the Mules, allowing three runs, all earned on six hits with four strikeouts over 3.1 innings. In relief, senior Lucas Geoghegan (Boston, Mass.) tossed 4.2 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts.
The Bobcats took a 2-0 lead after the bottom of the third as the hosts loaded the bases for the second consecutive inning. After junior Mekae Hyde (Lewiston, Maine), Jackson, and Tewksbury each singled with one out, sophomore Berto Diaz (Carson, Calif.) hit a ground ball to second base, and while the Mules registered an out at second, Diaz beat the throw to first to allow Hyde to score. Bates tacked on a second run in the frame as Jackson came home on a wild pitch.
After Reynolds retired the side in order in the top of the fourth, Bates added another run in the last half of the inning to take a 3-0 edge. Junior Nate Pajka (Douglas, Mass.) led off the inning with a stand-up double into right center. After first-year Brendan Fox (West Hartford, Conn.) moved Pajka to third with a ground out, Pajka scored on Goldberg's second wild pitch of the game.
Reynolds faced just four batters in the top of the fifth before the Bobcats plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to stake themselves to their 5-0 lead. After Hyde walked and Jackson singled to set the table, Tewksbury laced his double into left field which rolled into the corner, giving both Hyde and Jackson the chance to round the bases.
Reynolds stymied the Mules the rest of the way, facing just 14 batters over the last four innings. The Bobcat defense backed its starter throughout the day with sophomore third baseman Conor Reenstierna (Lincoln, Mass.) fielding a bouncing ball and firing to first to record the final out.
