Baseball Swept by Endicott in First CCC Series of Spring

BEVERLY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team dropped a pair of conference games at Endicott Friday afternoon, falling 4-1 and 1-0 in extra innings.

The Lions slip to 5-9 on the year and 0-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The preseason-favorite Gulls improve to 6-6 overall and 2-0 in league play.

Brandon Wynne (New Haven, Conn.) collected a team-high three hits on the day and scored a run. Rocco Martinelli (Panama City, Panama) picked up a pair of base knocks while Justin Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) landed one hit and swiped a bag.

In game one, Endicott prevailed 4-1 to earn its first league victory of the season.

The home team captured a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Nicholas De Lotto tagged up and scored from third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael DeDonato.

Eastern Nazarene responded with a score in the top of the third to level the contest at 1-1. Wynne motored home on a wild pitch after leading off the frame with a single up the middle and advancing to third base on a base knock by Justin Wagner.

Endicott pushed across one run in the fifth to reclaim a one-run edge, 2-1. Harry Oringer singled to centerfield to drive in Cam Farnham from second base.

The Gulls tacked on two runs in the sixth to extend their lead to 4-1. Dan Zabbo scored on a wild pitch before Farnham plated Cody Hall with a two-out single to center.

Brent Houle (Westfield, Mass.) tossed 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. Brandon Wells (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and Joe Cardaropoli (Agawam, Mass.) each made relief appearances for the visitors.

In the nightcap, Endicott walked off with a 1-0 win in an 11-inning affair.

The Lions threatened to break the scoreless deadlock in the fifth. The guests loaded the bases with one out but were unable to push across a run as the hosts escaped the jam.

The Gulls scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning as Brad Rebello doubled to plate Nick Berno from second.

Doug English (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) pitched nine innings on the mound and struck out four batters while surrendering five hits and no runs. Antonio Ortegon (Haltom City, Texas) recorded two strikeouts and allowed one hit in 1.2 innings of relief action.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene returns to the campus of Endicott College March 28 to take on conference foe Wentworth.