Houle, Fusco Lead Baseball to Doubleheader Sweep Over Lakeland

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Brent Houle (Westfield, Mass.) and Frank Fusco (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) each tossed a complete game on the mound to propel the Eastern Nazarene College baseball team to a pair of wins over Lakeland Thursday as part of the Gene Cusic Classic at the Player Development Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.

Eastern Nazarene prevailed 4-2 in the opening contest before edging Lakeland 4-3 in the second tilt.

The Lions improve to 4-4 on the season while the Muskies drop to 1-7 overall with the results.

Brandon Wynne (New Haven, Conn.) finished with three hits and an RBI on the day. Justin Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) collected a pair of base knocks and drove in two RBIs in the two-game set. Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) landed two hits and crossed the plate three times while swiping a base. Jose Arebalo (Brentwood, Calif.) and Jake Koch (Dayton, Nev.) each registered two RBIs and one base hit on the afternoon.

In the matinee game, Eastern Nazarene bested Lakeland 4-2 behind a complete game by Houle. The freshman right-hander struck out four batters while allowing just four hits and one earned run.

Eastern Nazarene got on the board in the bottom of the second, snagging a 1-0 lead. Arebalo roped a double to centerfield to drive in Koch from second base to pick up his second RBI of the spring.

Lakeland responded with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning, to jump ahead 2-1. Brady Callahan sliced a singled past the first base bag and down the right field line to plate Kyle Delahaut and Sterling Dixon.

The Lions evened the game at 2-2 in the home half of the third as Jeremy Wagner rounded third and scored on a base knock into right field off the bat of Kurt Picarelli (Montrose, N.Y.).

Eastern Nazarene pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth to grab a 4-2 advantage. Koch smacked a single down the left field line to plate Cameron Fiorentino (Uxbridge, Mass.) and Jeremy Wagner.

In game two, Fusco hurled a complete game to earn his first victory of the season. The sophomore southpaw recorded three strikeouts while scattering four hits and two earned runs.

The Muskies opened the scoring in the bottom of the second to snag a 1-0 edge. Bryce Skelton dashed home on a wild pitch with two outs in the frame.

The Lions generated four runs in the top of the third to establish a 4-1 lead. Jeremy Wagner scampered home on a groundout by Wynne before Arebalo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate Martinelli from third. Justin Wagner capped off the scoring in the inning with a double down the left field line to drive in Picarelli and Koch.

Lakeland trimmed the margin to 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth as AJ Dollinger motored home on a fielder's choice.

The Muskies pulled to within a run with a score in the sixth, 4-3, as an error allowed Jared Rear to cross the dish.

Lakeland threatened in the bottom of the seventh, advancing a runner all the way to third with two outs but Fusco shut the door as he induced a popout to end the game.

Looking ahead, the Lions will close out play at the Gene Cusic Classic with a twinbill against Wisconsin Lutheran March 13.