Six-Run Third Powers Baseball Past Fitchburg State, 8-4

QUINCY, Mass.- Sparked by a six-run third inning, the Eastern Nazarene baseball team rattled off an 8-4 non-league win over Fitchburg State at Bradley Field Thursday afternoon. The Lions rise to 7-11 on the season with the victory while the Falcons dip to 9-6-1 overall.

Pat Yee (Lynnfield, Mass.) recorded a team-best three hits on the day while also scoring a run. Max Pugh (San Diego, Calif.) landed two hits and drove in a pair of RBIs and David Manning (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) registered a pair of base knocks and one RBI. Jake Koch (Dayton, Nev.) plated a pair of runs as he collected his first home run of the season.

The visitors claimed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Matt Zajac laced a single into right field to drive in Joseph Balboni from second.

Fitchburg State added a pair of runs in the third to extend its advantage to 3-0. Cody Bamforth doubled to left field to score Pierce Hans and Jeff Boice.

Eastern Nazarene's offense exploded for six runs in the home half of the frame. Yee ignited the rally with his first hit of the afternoon, a single through the left side of the infield. After Michael Chiaradio Jr. (Teaneck, N.J.) drew a walk with no outs to load the bases, Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, N.J.) was issued a one-out walk as Yee trotted home.

Pugh knotted the game at 3-3 as he smacked a two-run single to right to drive in Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Chiaradio. Berroa gave the Lions a one-run edge, 4-3, as he scampered home from third on a wild pitch. Koch capped off the scoring in the third, belting a two-run homer over the centerfield fence.

The Falcons cut the deficit to 6-4 in the fifth as Zajac picked up his second RBI of the contest, lifting a sacrifice fly to right which allowed David Mason to tag up and score.

Eastern Nazarene tacked on two runs in the eighth to stretch the margin to 8-4. After Pugh singled to lead off the frame, Brad Hampton (South Daytona, Fla.) pinch ran for Pugh and motored home from first on a double to center by Manning. Ryan Garza (Elsa, Texas) raked a pinch-hit single down the line in right to plate Manning from second.

Rookie Spyro Varetimos (North Attleboro, Mass.) fanned four batters in just 2.2 innings of work as he started on the mound for the Lions. Doug English (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) earned his first win of the spring, tossing 1.1 innings of relief while striking out one batter. Reese Richmond (Villa Rica, Ga.) and Nathan Russell (San Diego, Calif.) both came out of the bullpen and hurled two innings. Jamie Dominick (Taunton, Mass.) shut the door as he pitched a scoreless ninth inning while recording one strikeout.

Eastern Nazarene will return to action April 5 with a Commonwealth Coast Conference twinbill against Gordon at Adams Field.