Baseball Trades One-Run Results with Hiram in Florida Finale

FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Eastern Nazarene baseball team split a pair of closely-contested decisions with Hiram Thursday afternoon in its final doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic. The Lions endured a 4-3 loss in game one before edging the Terriers 1-0.

Eastern Nazarene departs the Sunshine State sporting a 5-3 overall record while Hiram progresses to 3-4 on the year.

Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, N.J.) paced the Lions offense with two hits, two stolen bases and an RBI. Max Pugh (San Diego, Calif.) also contributed with two hits and one RBI on the day. Quentin Moore (Sheridan, Calif.) and Pat Yee (Lynnfield, Mass.) each raked an extra-base hit in the two-game set.

The Terriers opened the scoring in game one with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. With the bases loaded and one out, Shane Haidet singled home Jim Jaksa to break the 0-0 deadlock. George Blake hoisted a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Tim Calhoun to tag up and dash home from third to double Hiram's advantage.

Hiram added a run in the fifth to widen the gap to 3-0 as Jaksa plated Jaren Bell with a one-out single.

Eastern Nazarene clawed back with three scores in the bottom of the sixth to knot the contest at 3-3. With two runners in scoring position, David Manning (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) reached third on a pair of errors while Justin Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) both crossed the dish to slice the deficit to 3-2. Manning trotted home as Pugh followed with an RBI base hit.

The Terriers plated the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning. Haidet doubled to lead off the first extra frame. After an error allowed Haidet to take third, Blake drove in the eventual game-winning run with a sacrifice fly.

Rookie Frank Fusco threw five innings and registered six strikeouts in his second start of the season on the hill. Nathan Russell (San Diego, Calif.) worked three innings in his third relief outing of the year and fanned one batter.

Yee cranked a leadoff double to open the third frame and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jeremy Wagner. Berroa drove in the Lions' lone run of the game with an RBI single to score Yee.

Berroa spun a one-hit gem in game two for Eastern Nazarene. The senior carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and surrendered his only base knock after retiring the first two batters. Berroa finished with six strikeouts while walking four en route to posting his second win of the spring on the mound.

In their first game in the Bay State, the Lions will visit Clark (Mass.) March 18 for a nine-inning non-conference clash.