LEWISTON, Maine -- The visiting Colby College Mules scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back, defeating the Bates baseball team 11-1 Monday afternoon in NESCAC action.

A single, a walk, and a bunt single loaded the bases for Colby (19-12, 7-5 NESCAC East) with nobody out in the first. Tony Silva singled in a pair of runs and one out later Ben Croteau singled home another to make the score 3-0. A passed ball allowed Silva to cross the plate and the Bobcats (12-18, 4-8 NESCAC) found themselves down by four before getting a chance to hit.

Sophomore starting pitcher Kenny Carlisle (South Portland, Maine worked a scoreless second inning and Bates got one back against Colby starter Thomas Rioux (4-4) in the bottom of the second. 

First-year David Swift (Yarmouth, Maine) singled to center to get the offense going. Fellow first-year Max Dushney (Ashland, Mass.) followed with a single of his own, advancing Swift to third. Then senior captain Brandon Biggane (Rensselaer, N.Y.) drove in Swift with a sacrifice fly to right field.

That'd be the only run of the game for the Bobcats, who managed just five hits against Colby pitching. Rioux went six innings for the visitors, giving up one run on five hits. He did not walk anyone and struck out seven.

Colby plated three in the third, chasing Carlisle (1-2) from the game. They added a run in the fifth and three more in the seventh. 

Swift paced the Bates offense, going 2-3 at the plate. Ryan Grace walked three times and hit a home run for Colby. Meanwhile, Myles Gythfeldt and Patrick Shrake both recorded a pair of hits for the visitors.

One cool moment late in the game featured Bates senior relief pitcher Matthew Shrake (Chicago, Ill.) facing his younger brother Patrick for the first time in their baseball careers. The elder Shrake won the battle, getting Patrick Shrake to ground out to Swift at first. 

The Bobcats return to action Tuesday when they visit the University of Southern Maine for a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.