McClure’s 8-Point Day Powers No. 15 Bates Past Hamilton, 17–13

CLINTON, N.Y. -- The No. 15 nationally ranked Bates men's lacrosse team used a six-goal third quarter to break open a back-and-forth game and defeat Hamilton, 17–13, Saturday afternoon in NESCAC action at Steuben Field.

Bates improves to 8-3 overall and 4-3 in conference play with the win, while Hamilton falls to 6-5 (3-4 NESCAC).

Bates came out firing, scoring the game's first five goals in a dominant opening stretch. A goal from

Dane Jones, along with a pair each from

Henry McCann and

Riley McClure sparked the early surge, with McClure's second tally making it 5-0 with just over three minutes left in the first quarter.

Hamilton answered late in the opening frame with back-to-back goals in the final minute to cut the deficit to 5-2, then continued to chip away in the second quarter. Despite Bates extending its lead to 7-2 on goals from

Jack Goldbach and

Connor Hartman, the Continentals closed the half on a 5-1 run, pulling within 8-7 at the break.

The teams traded blows early in the third quarter, with Hamilton tying the game at 8-8 and again at 9-9 and 10-10. From there, Bates seized control.

Charles Lowe gave the Bobcats the lead for good at 11-10 with 6:55 remaining in the third, igniting a decisive stretch. McClure scored twice in a 21-second span, and Jones added a goal in the final 10 seconds of the quarter to cap a 4-1 Bates run and build a 14-11 advantage heading into the fourth.

Hamilton trimmed the deficit to two early in the fourth, but Bates responded once again.

Gray Doyle and McClure extended the lead to 16-12, and

Xander Frey added another to make it a five-goal margin with just over four minutes remaining, effectively sealing the win.

McClure led the way with five goals and three assists for an eight-point performance, while Goldbach added three goals and two assists. Hartman (2G, 2A), McCann (2G, 2A), and Jones (2G) also contributed to a balanced offensive effort that saw eight different Bobcats find the back of the net.

Hamilton was led by Carson Kraus, who scored seven goals.

Andrew Toland made nine saves in goal to earn the victory, while

Miles Schmidt went 16-for-28 (11 ground balls) at the faceoff X to help Bates maintain possession throughout the contest.

Teddy Rosen grabbed four grounders of his own to go along with three caused turnovers.

The Bobcats return to action Wednesday night when they host the No. 1 team in the country, Tufts University, at 5:30 p.m. on Garcelon Field.