Baseball Splits Two-Game Set at Bridgewater State

BRIDGEWATER, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader at Bridgewater State Saturday, prevailing 13-4 before absorbing a 3-1 setback.

The Lions progress to 3-4 on the season with the results while the Bears move to 1-2 overall.

Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) notched four hits and scored two runs on the day. Mike Griffin (Hudson, N.H.) registered three base knocks, four runs scored, an RBI, and one stolen base. Jaime Roldan (Boston, Mass.) collected three hits, three RBIs, and a run scored. Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.) posted three base knocks, one RBI, and one run scored. Hunter Leroux-Porter (Greenland, N.H.) tallied two hits, two RBIs, and one run scored while Steven Pesce (Harrison, N.Y.) added two hits, two runs scored and one RBI.

In the matinee matchup, Eastern Nazarene's offense pounded a season-high 16 hits and Ferguson posted 10 strikeouts on the bump as the visitors notched a 12-2 victory.

The Lions grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Griffin scored from second base as Joshua Bombard (Rutland, Mass.) reached on an error in the outfield before an infield hit by Brandon Guerrero knocked in Roldan from third.

Eastern Nazarene produced six runs in the fifth to widen the margin to 8-0. After a leadoff double by Ferguson, Pesce raked a double to right-centerfield to drive in Ferguson. Leroux-Porter followed with an RBI base knock to left-center to plate Pesce from third base. Leroux-Porter crossed the dish on a wild pitch and Griffin scampered home on an RBI groundout by Roldan. Jamie Carey (Amherst, Mass.) picked up his first RBI of the spring as he lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Bombard before Kelvin Cortez (Corona, N.Y.) scurried home on a wild pitch.

The guests tacked on a run in the sixth to push their advantage to 9-0. Roldan roped a two-out double to the gap in left-centerfield to drive in Griffin from second.

Bridgewater State got on the board in the bottom of the seventh, plating two runs to trim the deficit to 9-2. Tyler Rondeau landed a bases-loaded single to knock in Kyle Suraci before Cam James tagged up and scored on a sacrifice fly by Joey Molis.

The Lions extended the gap to 12-2 with three tallies in the eighth. Leroux-Porter laced a single to right-center to plate Ferguson and Griffin followed with a sacrifice fly to drive in Pesce. Roldan scorched his second RBI double of the game to knock in Retsyn Ootton (Pawtucket, R.I.) from second base.

The Bears scored once in the home half of the eighth to cut the margin to 12-3. Jonathan O'Donnell tagged up and motored home from third on a sacrifice fly by Suraci.

The visitors chalked up a run in the ninth to reclaim a double-digit advantage, 13-3, as Brandon Guerrero crossed the dish on a wild pitch.

The hosts tallied one run in the bottom of the ninth frame to narrow the margin to 13-4. Rondeau scored from third on an RBI groundout by Sean Goudey.

In his team-leading third start of the season on the mound, Ferguson fanned 10 batters in seven innings. Bryan Sanchez (Boston, Mass.) threw two innings of relief in his second appearance out of the bullpen.

In the series finale, Eastern Nazarene mustered two hits as it dropped a 3-1 decision to Bridgewater State.

The Lions broke the scoreless tie with one run in the top of the fourth. Bombard slapped a one-out single to drive in Griffin from second base.

The Bears seized a 2-1 edge with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. James belted a two-run homer to knock in Dan Saraceno.

the home team added a run in the fifth to double its lead to 3-1. Joe Frechette tagged up and scored as Luke Tamulevich lifted a sacrifice fly.

Carey tossed a complete game in his first start of the spring on the hill and finished with five strikeouts.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene will host Gordon March 24 in a non-conference doubleheader at Libby Field in Weymouth, Mass.