Baseball Overpowers Emerson, 14-2, at Pittsburgh Pirates’ Spring Training Ballpark Tuesday Afternoon

BRADENTON, Fla.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team cruised to a 14-2 victory over Emerson Tuesday afternoon at McKechnie Field, the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates.

With the win, the Eastern Nazarene Lions rise to 2-3 on the season. The Emerson Lions slide to 0-4 overall with the result.

Kurt Picarelli (Montrose, N.Y.) fueled Eastern Nazarene with three base knocks, four RBIs, three runs scored, one stolen base and a highlight-reel diving catch in left field to rob Emerson of an extra-base hit. Rocco Martinelli (Panama City, Panama) finished with two hits, one RBI, one stolen base and scored four runs in the game. Jake Koch (Dayton, Nev.) notched one base hit, one RBI and one run while Brandon Wynne (New Haven, Conn.) crossed the plate three times and landed one hit.

Eastern Nazarene scored twice in the top of the first to grab a 2-0 edge. Cameron Fiorentino (Uxbridge, Mass.) led off the game with a single and came around to cross the dish as Martinelli flared a base hit into shallow right field. Picarelli drove in Martinelli as he raked a single through the left side of the infield.

Eastern Nazarene tacked on three runs in the third inning to extend its lead to 5-0. Martinelli led off the frame with a single and Wynne drew a four-pitch walk before Picarelli stroked a double to deep left field to drive in both runners. Picarelli tagged up and motored home on a sacrifice fly by Justin Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) to center.

Emerson got on the board in the bottom of the third to slice the deficit to 5-1. Kyle Becker scored as Tim Quitadamo reached on an error.

Eastern Nazarene put up five runs in the fourth to double its lead to 10-1. Martinelli scampered home on a wild pitch and Koch laced a single up the middle to plate Wynne. Picarelli crossed the dish as Luis Gonzalez (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) pushed a sacrifice bunt down the first-base line. Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) dashed home as Fiorentino stung a hard grounder to the right side of the infeld before Koch scurried across the plate as Fiorentino swiped second base.

Eastern Nazarene added three runs in the top of the fifth to push its advantage to 13-1. With runners on the corners, Picarelli slapped a single down the line past third base to drive in Martinelli from third to pick up his fifth RBI of the day. Daniel Petty (North Chili, N.Y.) earned his first RBI of the season as he grounded out to the second baseman to plate Wynne. Picarelli capped off the scoring in the frame for the Lions as he trotted home on a wild pitch.

Emerson tallied one score in the home half of the fifth to narrow the gap to 13-2. Zach Dean raced home on a wild pitch after landing a one-out triple to left field.

Eastern Nazarene responded with a run in the sixth to claim a 14-2 lead. Jesus Rivera (Homestead, Fla.) looped a single into left field to score Nate Crawford (Houston, Texas).

In his first collegiate start on the mound and second appearance of the season, rookie Antonio Ortegon (Haltom City, Texas) tossed five innings and struck out four batters while allowing four hits and just one earned run. Wynne and Will Medina (Milton, Mass.) combined to toss the final two innings with each right-hander logging a scoreless frame.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene returns to Fort Myers Tuesday evening for a nightcap against Rockford under the lights at Terry Park, a former Major League Baseball spring training facility.