April 11, 2013
On the 26th anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Classic, a yearly clash between two upstate New York rivals, everything seemed to fall into place for the Hamilton College baseball team (8-13). Multiple teammates shined under the rare Clinton sunny skies as Hamilton cruised to a 6-1 victory over nearby Utica College (1-10).
Colin Henneberger ’14 dazzled Utica’s Pioneers with a confident mix of pitches, tossing 6.1 solid innings, surrendering only one unearned run, and ultimately earning his second Jackie Robinson Classic MVP award. Gabe Klein ’13 also contributed a crucial grand slam, which drew cheers from a sizeable crowd attending the game at Hamilton’s Royce Field.
Any worries on the Hamilton bench melted into thin air as Klein looped a low pitch into deep right field and broke open a 2-1 pitcher’s duel in the bottom of the seventh. Hamilton’s bullpen took care of the rest as Head Coach Tim Byrnes used the best of Hamilton’s staff to close out the traditional game. Tommy Moriarty ’14, JJay Lane ’15 and Alex Pachella ’15, threw 2.2 innings of scoreless ball.
Ultimately, this year’s Jackie Robinson Classic acted as a showcase for what Hamilton athletics should look like: short-sleeved spectators, great grill grub and a team full of elated athletes in blue.
The Continentals will take on the 4-10 Panthers of Middlebury College in this weekend’s triple-header at Forbes Baseball Field in Middlebury, VT. These will be important NESCAC games as Hamilton looks to secure its second conference win, and a coveted spot in the playoffs.
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