LEWISTON, Maine -- The visiting Colby College Mules scored five times in the sixth inning and defeated the Bates baseball team 9-1 Friday afternoon at Leahey Field.

With the score tied 1-1, Myles Gythfeldt reached on a Bates error to start the fateful inning. He moved to second on a balk and advanced to third on a Tony Silva single through the left side. Will Burns drew a walk and Jeb Burkhart came up big with a two-RBI double down the left field line, putting the Mules (14-8, 2-2 NESCAC East) up 3-1. Max Diamond followed with an RBI double of his own and Colby led 4-1. Marco Zirpolo drew a walk to load the bases again, marking the end of the day for Bates starting pitcher senior John Tully (Framingham, Mass.), who went five-plus innings, giving up six runs (three earned) on six hits.

The Bobcats (16-4, 4-3 NESCAC) brought in sophomore Charlie Cariello (Bedford, N.H.) out of the bullpen in relief of Tully (5-2) and he walked Sam Nigro to force in a run. The Bobcats were able to force a runner at home when Henry Silva smacked a ball to shortstop John Federico (Durham, N.H.) and he got Diamond at the plate for the first out of the inning. Patrick Shrake followed with a ground ball to third that senior Gibby Sullivan (Yarmouth, Maine) knocked down. His only play ended up being at third base and Zirpolo scored for a 6-1 Colby lead. Gythfeldt walked to load the bases again but Cariello struck out Silva to end the inning.

Colby starting pitcher Thomas Rioux (4-1) tossed the first nine-inning complete game of his collegiate career. Bates got to him for an early run, but couldn't take advantage of a big chance in the second inning.

Senior Jack Margiloff (Rye, N.Y.) got the offense going in the bottom of the first with a one-out walk. Sullivan followed with a single up the middle and Margiloff went to third on the play. Sophomore David Swift (Yarmouth, Maine) executed a perfect bunt down the third base line, scoring Margiloff for a 1-0 Bates lead.

But the second inning swung the momentum to Colby. Federico singled to start the frame for Bates. Then junior Luke Yoon (Honolulu, Hawaii) bunted a ball down the third base line. Colby's third baseman threw the ball away and the Bobcats appeared to have runners at first and third with nobody out. But the umpires ruled Yoon had run down the line too far towards the infield grass and called him out for interference, forcing Federico to go back to first. Despite the setback, sophomore Max Dushney (Ashland, Mass.) drew a walk and senior Joe Yoxall (Dallas, Texas) singled to load the bases with only one away. But Rioux got the next batter to pop out and Margiloff followed with a hard-hit line drive to right-center. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, Zirpolo made a diving catch to end the inning.

More bad luck plagued Bates in the top of the fourth. Singles from Gythfeldt and Burns put runners at the corners with one out. Then Tully attempted a pick-off at first and the ball somehow hit the bottom of Burns' foot as he dove back into the bag. It got away for a throwing error and Gythfeldt came in to score, tying the game at one.

After their five-run sixth, the Mules scored one in the seventh and three more in the ninth for their final margin of victory. The Bobcats managed just five hits in the contest, with Sullivan recording three of them. The Mules finished with 11 hits, including two apiece from Burkhart, Diamond, and Zirpolo. 

The Bobcats hope to bounce back Saturday when they travel to Waterville for a doubleheader with the Mules. First pitch of game one is set for noon.