HARTFORD, Conn. — Colby College opened its New England Small College Athletic Conference baseball season with a pair of victories, sweeping Trinity 5-3 and 6-5 on Saturday afternoon.

Seven different Colby players had two hits in either game one or two on Saturday. In game one, which went nine innings, Jason Buco put the Mules ahead for good with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. Lucas Geoghegan pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings to earn the win in relief.

Game two went seven innings, and looked even easier for Colby as the Mules took a 6-0 lead to the top of the seventh behind a strong performance from starting pitcher Soren Hanson. Freshman Andrew Della Volpe had two RBI singled to help Colby build that lead. But Trinity began the seventh with three hits and then two walks to knock Hanson out of the game. The Bantams eventually put the tying and go-ahead runs on base with one out, but Greg Ladd got the next two batters on groundouts to end the game.

Colby is now 10-2 overall and 2-0 in the NESCAC. Trinity is 6-12, 1-4.

Castleton 5-5, UMaine-Farmington 1-4: Mt. Blue grad Jimmy Neal doubled, homered and drove in four runs in the second game, but the Spartans rallied to sweep the Beavers in Auburn, Mass.

Samuel Spencer tossed a four-hit shutout in the opener, and Allen White walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Castelton is now 11-5 overall and 8-1 in the North Atlantic Conference.

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Neal, Ben Keene and Dustin McCrossin each banged out two hits for UMF (4-14, 3-5) in game two, and their offense helped the Beavers to a 4-2 lead through four innings. Castleton struck for three runs in the bottom of the fifth, taking the lead when Macyn Clifford doubled home Daniel Errico. The Beavers got two on base with no outs in the sixth, and a runner to third with two outs in the seventh, but were denied both times.

SOFTBALL

Albany 4, Maine 0: Brittany MacFawn struck out 10 and threw a two-hit shutout as the Great Danes defeated the Black Bears in America East action in Albany, N.Y.

Charlise Castro and Vicky McFarland each homered for Albany (12-7 overall, 4-2 America East).

Trailing 2-0, Maine (12-10, 2-2) had runners at first and third with nobody out in the top of the fifth, but could not get the ball out of the infield and did not score.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

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Thomas 13, Colby-Sawyer 10: Belgrade native and Messalonskee grad Miranda Tinsman had four goals and four assists to lead the Terriers to the North Atlantic Conference win in New London, N.H.

Jillian Lambert and Brittany Premo each chipped in with three goals and one assist for Thomas (4-4 overall, 2-0 NAC). Freshman Allie McCarthy made five saves in goal.

Colby-Sawyer’s Alyssia Janak scored the first three goals of the second half, but Thomas scored the next four, including two by Primo, to regain control.

Janak had four goals for the Chargers (2-6, 0-3).

New England College 14, UMaine-Farmington 13: The Beavers scored two goals in the final minute, but their comeback fell just short as they lost to the Pilgrims in a NAC game in Henniker, N.H.

Ayla Allen led UMF (2-5 overall, 0-2 NAC) with six goals and one assist. Messalonskee grad Mara Balboni added three goals. Goalkeeper Hannah Goodenow came up with 21 saves.

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Jacquelyn Lane scored four goals and Allison Granata had three for NEC (2-7, 2-0)

MEN’S LACROSSE

Thomas 13, Johnson State 5: In Waterville, the Terriers turned a 3-1 halftime lead into a 10-1 edge after three quarters on their way to their first win of the season.

The game was played at Colby College, because the Thomas field was unavailable. Maranacook grad Jesse Evans scored four goals for Thomas (1-6 overall, 1-2 NAC), while Gunnar Shleton and Bryan Ferris added three apiece. Carlos Cardona made six saves in net.

Matt Dekens put in three goals for Johnson St. (0-4, 0-2).

Amherst 14, Colby 7: Quinn Moroney and Devin Acton each scored four goals as the Lord Jeffs pulled away from the Mules in NESCAC action in Amherst, Mass.

Moroney also had five assists, while Kane Haffey contributed three goals for Amherst (8-2 overall, 4-2 NESCAC). The Jeffs led 5-3 at halftime before outscoring Colby 6-1 in the third quarter.

John Grimalkdi led Colby (5-5, 2-4) with four goals.

Also Saturday: Messalonskee grad Dylan Foster went 6 for 7 as Husson swept a baseball doubleheader from New England College, 7-0 and 3-0. Gardiner grad Dennis Meehan drove in three runs on the day and Waterville’s J.T. Whitten added an RBI double. … The Colby women’s crew varsity eight placed third in a four team meet with Smith, Wesleyan and Middlebury. … Monmouth grad Kristine Kahl pitched a two-hit shutout with no walks as the U.S. Coast Guard Academy defeated Babson, 5-0, in the second game of a softball doubleheader.


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