AMHERST, Mass. – The Trinity College Baseball team captured a 5-4 victory over host Amherst College, 5-4, in the opening game of their three-game series in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Baseball Championship Quarterfinals at Memorial Stadium Friday afternoon. The Bantams improve to 19-15 overall, while the Mammoths dip to 19-15 on the season.
 
The Bantams plated the first run of the game as Aidan Stern raced home while Aidan Stevenson worked the Mammoths defense into a quick pickle to stake Trinity to the 1-0 lead. In the third inning, the Bantams loaded the bases and William Sawyer delivered a two-run single through the left side of the infield to push the Trinity advantage to 3-0. The Mammoths narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the frame behind a two-run single from Charlie LaFrenier.
 
Trinity added to their lead in the sixth inning as Stern scored on an RBI fielder's choice from Luis Saldivia, followed by an RBI sac fly from Adam Niman. Amherst made it a one-run game in the seventh with a two-run home run from Tyler McCord, but Bantams reliever Tyler Colditz fired three innings of two-hit ball to seal the 5-4 win.
 
Stern and Sawyer logged two hits apiece, while Sawyer drove in a pair and Stern scored twice. Saldivia and Niman both went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, and starter Joseph Capano (5-4) picked up the win, allowing four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
 
The Bantams and Mammoths will be back in action for two games on Saturday. Game one will start at 10:30 a.m., followed by game two at 1:00 p.m., if necessary.