Middlebury Baseball Team Falls to St. Michael's

Jake Turtel dives back into first base during Tuesday's game vs. St. Michael's. Photo is courtesy of Middlebury College.

The Middlebury baseball team dropped a non-league game to St. Michael's by a score of 6-0 on Tuesday afternoon. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Doc Jacobs Field in Colchester, but was moved to Forbes Field due to field conditions. The Panthers (6-11) return to action on Friday with a NESCAC West game at Hamilton, while the Purple Knights (1-14) host St. Anselm on Wednesday.

Trevor Allen (1-2) tossed a seven-hit complete-game shutout with six strikeouts to lead St. Michael's to victory. The Purple Knights scored their six runs in five different innings, including the third, when a SAC fly by Joe Robertson drove in Matt Downing, who had doubled down the left-field line.

The following inning, a SAC fly from Peter Bocchino plated Calvin Hollard, who led off the inning
with a single up the middle. Aiden Burton later singled to left to drive in Drew Salk for the 3-0 lead.

St. Michael's struck for the third-straight inning in the fifth, scoring a pair of runs. Robertson singled to left with one out and later scored when Holland doubled to left center. Dan Flynn made it a 5-0 game when he singled down the right-field line to drive in Holland. The Purple Knights added a solo run in the seventh with a bases loaded walk by Bocchino.

The game boasted a pair of defensive gems, one from each team. Middlebury third baseman Raj Palekar made a diving stop to his right on a ball ripped down the line by Flynn, before throwing him out at first. In the top of the eighth, Downing made a stellar play in center, fully extending on a ball to his right, taking a base hit away from Middlebury's Joe MacDonald.

Tucker Meredith (0-1) suffered the loss for Middlebury, allowing three runs on four hits with three strikeouts over three innings of work. Jake Turtel finished 2-5, while Sam Graf and Garrett Werner each doubled.

Holland finished 2-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI to pace St. Michael's, while Downing was 2-4 with a double and a run scored.