Hamilton College's Jay Schlaefer '23 smashed the first home run of his career, Brendan Kastner '23 was masterful in relief, and the Continentals rallied for a 4-2 NESCAC West Division win over the Wesleyan University Cardinals at Hamilton's Loop Road Athletic Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The Continentals (2-4, 2-4 NESCAC) took two of three from Wesleyan in the weekend series after the teams split a doubleheader in Connecticut on Saturday. Hamilton hosts Amherst College for another NESCAC West Division twinbill on Saturday, April 17. First pitch of the opener is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Wesleyan (2-4, 2-4) scored one run in each of the first two innings, but managed just three hits over the last seven. The Continentals tied the score with two runs in the fifth inning and took the lead with two more in the seventh.

Schlaefer – batting out of the ninth spot in the order -- went 2-for-2 with two runs batted in and Phil Bernstein '23 singled and tripled. Bernstein leads the team with a .455 batting average (10-for-22).
Kastner allowed one hit in the final 3.1 scoreless innings and evened his record at 1-1 this season. David Galvao '23 tossed 3.2 shutout innings in relief as he allowed two hits and struck out three. Opponents are hitting just .179 against Galvao this season.

Ryan Molinari had two hits, including a double, and scored both of the Cardinals' runs. Jack Nally added two singles.

Hamilton mustered two hits over the first four innings but put things together in the fifth. Jacob Hahn '21 led off with a double to the wall in left-center field. Shane Dux '24 followed with a sharp single to center and Jackson Johns '24 loaded the bases with a walk. After a pitching change, Schlaefer hit a fly ball to right field that scored Hahn. Bernstein and Gavin Schaefer-Hood '22 were hit by pitches to lead the bases again, and Dux scored the tying run on a balk.

Wesleyan had just one base runner, who was picked off at first, over the final four innings. The Continentals took the lead in the seventh with some big hits. Schlaefer led off the inning with a blast that sailed over the fence in left field just to the right of the scoreboard. Bernstein followed with a line drive down the right field line into the corner for a triple. Brady Slinger '22 plated Bernstein on a hard single up the middle with one out. Slinger's base hit turned out to be the last one of the afternoon for either team.