| Jack Capotorto was part of
the first no-hitter in program history. Emerson athletics photo |
WATERTOWN, Mass. -- After losing their first-ever NEWMAC game 13-1 to Clark University, the Lions' young pitching staff turned in an unforgettable performance. Freshman Cal Laird and Sophomore Jack Capotorto combined for the first no-hitter in school history. Laird started the game and went 6.2 innings, striking out six, walking six, and hitting three batters. With two outs in the seventh, Capotorto entered the game and recorded the last seven outs, striking out two along the way. With the win the Lions are now 3-9 overall and 1-1 in NEWMAC action.
Clark threatened in the first, as both Nicholas O'Brien and Daniel Lima worked walks to begin the game. After a double steal put runners at second and third with no one out, Laird settled down and struck out David Eschen for the first out of the game. He then got Clark catcher Matt Asdornvuttikrai to hit a shallow fly ball to left field where Clint Fontanella made the catch and delivered a strike to the plate where Steve Cameron applied the tag to O'Brien to end the inning.
Emerson got on the board in the second beginning with a Zach Dean infield hit, on which he advanced to second on an overthrow. Connor Damiano bunted him to third, and he would score moments later on a passed ball. That was all of the offense in the game until the bottom of the eighth when Clint Fontanella singled to right to begin the inning. James Sullivan sacrificed Fontanella to second and Mitch Moormann moved him to third with a groundout. After an intentional walk to Cal Ciarcia, Steve Cameron drove the first pitch he saw into left field for the RBI single.
Clark's Miles Sheehan pitched very well in defeat, throwing 8 innings, striking out 10, walking four, and allowing just five singles and one earned run.
In the first game of the day, the Clark Cougars rallied up for 17 hits for a 13-1 win over the Lions with Julian Rifkind taking the loss in the game.
The Lions will return to NEWMAC action against WPI this Tuesday where they'll host WPI in a 7 p.m. game in Malden, Mass. at Maplewood Field.