Baseball Drops Doubleheader to Anna Maria

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene baseball team endured a pair of non-league losses Thursday, falling to Anna Maria 6-5 and 4-2 at Adams Field. The Lions dip to 5-10 on the season while the AMCats improved to 5-11 overall.

Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, N.J.) collected a team-high two base knocks on the day while also scoring twice and driving in a run. Michael Chiaradio (Teaneck, N.J.) registered a pair of RBIs in the doubleheader and added one hit while E.J. Estrada (Alpharetta, Ga.) crossed the plate twice.

In game one, Anna Maria plated a pair of runs in the first to grab a 2-0 edge. Andrew Montiverdi singled to right-centerfield to score Kevin Wodatch and Mike Guarnieri with two outs.

Eastern Nazarene responded with two runs in the home half of the first to level the score, 2-2. Ryan Garza (Elsa, Texas) and Jake Koch (Dayton, Nev.) landed back-to-back RBI singles with two away in the inning.

The AMCats seized a 3-2 lead in the top of the second as Padraig Gilman scored on a RBI base knock by Joe McNeil.

The visitors doubled their advantage to 4-2 in the fourth inning. Gilman crossed the plate as Wodatch laced a single to right field.

The Lions captured a one-run edge in the bottom of the fifth, tallying three runs to lead 5-4. Estrada ignited Eastern Nazarene's rally with a two-out double to left. Berroa followed with a single up the middle to drive in Estrada from second while Berroa advanced to second on the throw home.

After Berroa took third on a wild pitch, Max Pugh (San Diego, Calif.) doubled to the gap in left-center to even the score at 4-4. Pugh advanced to third and scooted home with the go-ahead run on back-to-back wild pitches.

Anna Maria reclaimed a one-run lead in the next half-inning, scoring twice in the top of the sixth to go ahead 6-5. McNeil and Guarnieri each picked up RBI base hits in the inning as Anthony Risotti and McNeil came across to score.

Brad Hampton (South Daytona, Fla.) worked five innings on the mound in his third start of the spring, fanning a pair of batters and allowing three earned runs. Reese Richmond (Villa Rica, Ga.) pitched one inning in his fourth relief outing of the season and struck out one batter. Doug English (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) closed out the game on the hill for the Lions, tossing a scoreless frame in the seventh with one strikeout.

In the nightcap, the visitors jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the second inning. Gilman motored home from second on a single by Risotti that ricocheted off the pitcher's mound and rolled into left field. Julian Diaz registered his first RBI of the day with a single through the left side of the infield to drive in Risotti.

Anna Maria tacked on two runs in the top of the fifth to stretch its lead to 4-0. McNeil scored as Gilman landed a single in shallow centerfield. Guarnieri jogged home to score the AMCats' fourth run of the contest after Risotti was hit by a pitch.

Eastern Nazarene got on the board in the fifth, cutting the gap to 4-2. Quentin Moore (Sheridan, Calif.) sparked the Lions' offense with his first collegiate hit, a single up the middle. Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Rocco Martinelli (Panama City, Panama) followed with walks to load the bases. Chiaradio drove in Moore and Wagner with a two-run single up the middle with two outs.

Brandon Wells (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) hurled three innings in his fourth outing of the year. The sophomore fanned two while surrendering four hits and two runs. Pugh made his second pitching appearance of the season, tossing two innings and recording one strikeout. Nathan Russell (San Diego, Calif.) pitched two scoreless innings in his second relief appearance of the spring.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene will resume conference play April 1 as it hosts Wentworth.