Box Score WATERVILLE, ME – Thomas College was unable to win the series versus crosstown rival Colby, falling 3-2 in the third game between the two Waterville schools on Monday afternoon.
Colby improves to 13-6 overall after winning its home opener. Thomas falls to 5-18 overall.
Both teams played well, combining for just one error in the game and each squad had solid pitching.
James Connelly came in for senior Luke Geoghegan at the start of the fifth inning for Colby. After hitting the first batter he faced, Connelly got nine straight batters out. He finished with four strikeouts and one walk.
While Connelly did his job, Colby was able to scrape two runs across in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the lead for good. Ryder Arsenault singled with one out and promptly stole second base. After a fly out, Soren Hanson brought in Arsenault with the tying run on a single. Hanson moved to second base on a wild pitch and then came in from second base on another wild pitch that the Thomas catcher could not find right away.
The Mules got their other run in the first inning. Zach Ellenthal was hit by a pitch with one out and Hanson walked. Alec Finigan ushed Ellenthal over to third base with a deep fly to center. Dan Csaplar followed with an RBI single.
Thomas took the lead with both of its runs in the top of the fourth. Geoghegan gave up back-to-back singles to Nik Beeson and Tim Locke. A walk to Derek Kane loaded the bases and Zack Groat followed with an RBI walk to bring in Beeson. Geoghegan was able to get the next two outs with the bases loaded, but Joe Quinlan singled to plate Locke. Geoghegan was able to get a weak grounder to himself for the third out.
Thomas got the lead-off runner on in the eighth and ninth innings.
Garrett Emery led off the top of the ninth with a double and was taken out for a pinch-runner. The Mules used a designed pick-off play to get the runner out.
Hanson had one hit, one run, and one RBI for the Mules. Arsenault and Ellenthal both had one hit and scored a run, while Csaplar had one hit and one RBI. Tim Corey and Finigan had the other hits for the winners.
Beeson led the Terriers with two hits and one run, while Locke had one hit and one run. Quinlan and Emery had the other hits.
Mike Confer took the tough loss for Thomas. He pitched 6.2 innings before giving way to Rett Adams, who got four straight outs for Thomas.
Thomas plays a doubleheader at University of Maine at Farmington on Wednesday at 1 p.m in conference play.
COURTESY OF COLBY SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE
