Baseball wins two over Eastern Nazarene

QUINCY, Mass. – Eastern Nazarene scored four runs in the seventh inning, but came up one run short of a comeback as the Lions fell to the Roger Williams University Baseball team, 7-6, in the Commonwealth Coast Conference nightcap at Adams Field. The Hawks flew to a 12-1 victory in the opener.

In game two, Eastern Nazarene found itself down a run after the first inning, but quickly remedied its deficit with a two-run third to take the lead. In the fifth, the Hawks went on top again with a trio of runs.

Roger Williams stretched its advantage in the seventh when senior Chris Comeau (Southbury, Conn.) singled through the right side and stole second base. Jerome was next to reach on a walk, and a double steal saw the base-runners take second and third. Oppenhimer came to the plate and hit a single through the right side to give his squad the 6-2 advantage.

Eastern Nazarene freshman Matt Jordon (Pleasantville, N.Y.) came in to face to Hawks' senior Trevor Manzi (Beverly, Mass.) and age won out, as the upperclassman hit an RBI triple to right to extend Roger Williams' lead to 7-2.

Freshman Rocco Martinelli (Panama City, Panama) came up with an outfield assist to end inning, throwing Manzi out at home from left field.

ENC mounted a rally in the final inning of the twinbill. Back-to-back singles from junior Mike Chiaradio (Teaneck, N.J.) and senior Steve Doyle (Weymouth, Mass.) brought sophomore Max Pugh (San Diego, Calif.) to the plate. Pugh hit a ball so close to the left field line that everyone, including the Hawks' third baseman, thought it would roll foul, but luck was on Pugh's side, as the ball stayed fair and Chiaradio plated ENC's first run since the second inning. It wouldn't be the last, as senior Danny Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.), who has been clutch in previous ENC contests, came up. Rodriguez blasted a ball to right center and hauled around the bags to collect a 2-RBI triple for the Lions. Classmate Johan Villalona (Bronx, N.Y.) pinch hit next, a good call by head coach Bryan Hampton, as his pick scored Rodriguez from third on a single to center.

With one out and two on base, RWU got itself out of a sticky situation, when pinch runner Matt Jayne (Quincy, Mass.) was thrown out trying to steal by RWU freshman catcher Joe Hock (Braintree, Mass.). Junior relief pitcher Tony Trafecanty (Frankin, Mass.) would get Martinelli swinging to end the game at 7-6.

The Lions (4-25 overall, 2-10 in the CCC) out-hit Roger Williams (9-19 / 4-6) in the second game, 13-9, but left eight runners stranded, compared to the Hawks' four.

Chiaradio went 3-3 with 2 runs scored to lead the Lions. Doyle, who is batting .400 after Saturday's effort, went 2-3, also scoring twice for ENC. Pugh and Berroa had two hits, respectively.

Oppenhimer and Manzi were in charge for the Hawks, with two knocks apiece, and accounting for five RWU RBI's.

Sophomore Brandon Wells took the loss for ENC, surrendering eight hits, two walks and striking out six in 6.1 innings.

Hawks' sophomore Eric Diffily (N. Reading, Mass.) got the win, his first of 2012, going 2.1 innings, giving up one hit, while striking out four and walking one.

Four Roger Williams players posted multiple hits in the first game of the DH. Oppenhimer, Manzi, Comeau and freshman Chris Travers (E. Freetown, Mass.) garnered two each and were responsible for eight of their teams 11 RBI's. Sophomore Mike Pascarella (Milford, Conn.) earned the remaining three, going 1-3 with a homerun, a walk and two runs scored.

The Hawks took a 7-0 lead early, scoring all seven runs on eight hits in the third inning. Roger Williams tacked on five more in the fourth and fifth to go up 12-0 on the home team.

Refusing to be shut-out, the Lions were able to post a run in the seventh, using a couple of knocks from sophomore Ryan Garza (Elsa, Texas) and senior Ben Bergeron (Rochester, Mass.) and an error from the Hawks' third baseman to bring the final tally to 12-1.

Garza and Bergeron both went 2-3 in the contest. Chiaradio, freshman E.J. Estrada (Alpharetta, Ga.), Pugh and Rodriguez all picked up a base hit in the loss.

Sophomore Bryan Motta (Dighton, Mass.) grabbed his second win of the season, pitching a complete game which featured five strikeouts, one walk and no earned runs.

Doyle suffered the loss and drops to 1-4 in his senior campaign. He went four innings, struck out five and gave up 10 hits. Sophomore Nate Russell (San Diego, Calif.) entered the game in the 5th and struck out six in three innings of work, while allowing four runs and walking three.

Roger Williams takes on Salve on Sunday in a 2:00pm doubleheader. Eastern Naz returns to Adams Field on April 18th against Newbury in a pair of games beginning at 2:00pm.

- Release courtesy of the Eastern Nazarene College Sports Information Department

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