Hamilton College exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning and the Continentals went on to a 12-2 non-conference win against the Clarkson University Golden Knights at Hamilton's Loop Road Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams were playing their season opener. Hamilton added two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings and a single run in the seventh. Clarkson scored its runs in the top of the ninth.

Matt Zaffino '21 had three hits including his second career grand slam for the Continentals. Zaffino tied a career high with four runs batted in. Matt Cappelletti '21 went 3-for-3 with a double and Sam Rowley '20 singled twice. Graham McOsker '20 singled, doubled and drove in three runs.

Gavin Schaefer-Hood '21, who set a Hamilton team record with seven wins last year, allowed five hits, walked three and struck out three in five shutout innings. Jamie Hauswirth '22 pitched a perfect sixth, and Jack Clougherty '23 and Jay Schlaefer '23 tossed scoreless seventh and eighth innings in their first collegiate appearances.

Michael Mieczkowski and Ernesto Ruiz-Sierra posted two hits apiece for the Golden Knights. Kyle Locklear smacked a two-run double in the ninth inning. Starting pitcher Nate Burns blanked the Continentals over the first three innings but gave up seven runs on five hits and three walks in the fourth.

Phil Bernstein '23 put Hamilton on the scoreboard with a one-out double on a sharp ground ball down the right field line that scored Nate Goodman '20 from first base. The hit was Bernstein's first for the Continentals. Cam Morosky '22 drew a two-out walk and he and Bernstein stole second and third. McOsker plated both of them with a ground-rule double that hopped over the fence in left-center field. Ethan Wallis '21 walked, Brady Slinger '22 singled up the middle and Zaffino followed with a bomb over the wall in right-center.

Hamilton loaded the bases in the fifth on a walk, an infield single and an intentional pass. Wallis drove in Bernstein with a sharp ground ball that the third baseman knocked down but couldn't handle. Rowley made it 9-0 after he scored on a fielder's choice.

The Continentals loaded the bases with one out in the sixth on a hit batsman, an infield error and an infield single. Morosky's groundout to first plated Cappelletti and McOsker drove in Chris Benton '23 with a sharp single to center.

Zaffino blasted a one-out triple in the seventh and scored on Cappelletti's slow chopper up the middle. Zaffino ended up a double short of hitting for the cycle.

The teams play a doubleheader back at Loop Road Athletic Complex on Sunday, March 8. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for noon.