Baseball Splits Thrilling Doubleheader at Wentworth to Wrap Up Spring

BROCKTON, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team split a doubleheader at Wentworth Saturday afternoon at Campanelli Stadium to cap off the 2018 campaign. The Lions prevailed 8-7 in extra-innings before the Leopards walked-off with a 9-8 win in game two.

Eastern Nazarene concludes the season with a 17-19 overall record to go with a 2-14 mark in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Wentworth progresses to 11-16 on the year and 6-8 in league action with the results.

Steven Pesce (Harrison, N.Y.) posted five hits, two RBIs, and a pair of runs. Matthew Urena (Flushing, N.Y.) finished with four base knocks, three runs, and two RBIs. Zach Zaino (Falmouth, Mass.) recorded three hits, three RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Dylan Louviaux (Mohnton, Pa.) chipped in with three base hits, three RBIs, one run, and one stolen base. Connor Simpson (Haverhill, Mass.) added a pair of base knocks, two RBIs, and crossed the dish three times on the day.

In game one, Eastern Nazarene rallied to edge Wentworth 8-7 in extra-innings.

The home side grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Anthony de la Cruz lifted a sacrifice fly to drive in Andrew Elliott from third base.

The visitors equalized in the top of the third with one run, 1-1. Zachary Carmody (Babylon, N.Y.) scampered home as Zaino reached base on an error.

Wentworth reclaimed a one-run edge with a run in the bottom of the frame, 2-1. Aidan French crossed the dish on a groundout by Elliott.

Eastern Nazarene pulled even at 2-2 with one run in the fourth inning. Joshua Bombard (Rutland, Mass.) scored as Urena reached on an error.

The Leopards plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to jump ahead 4-2. Bryon Kucharski and de la Cruz crossed the plate on back-to-back squeeze bunts.

The Lions responded with two runs in the fifth to knot the contest at 4-4. Louviaux laced a double to right-centerfield to drive in Pesce and Carmody.

The hosts regained the lead with a run in the fifth, 5-4. Tyler Weninger tagged up and motored home from third base on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ross Golebiewski.

The guests tied up the game at 5-5 with one run in the seventh inning. Louviaux raked his second double of the contest to knock in Zaino.

Eastern Nazarene manufactured three runs in the top of the eighth frame to jump ahead 8-5. Zaino scorched a base knock to left to plate Simpson and Urena. Pesce followed with a single to center to drive in Zaino from second base.

Wentworth scored twice in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to 8-7. Golebiewski scored on a defensive miscue before French singled to knock in Cole Fritz.

Brenndan Rogers (Hanson, Mass.) pitched four innings in his seventh start of the season. Xavier Faria (Assonet, Mass.) worked four innings of relief in his team-leading 16th appearance of the year and earned his team-high fourth win.

In the series finale, Wentworth clipped Eastern Nazarene 9-8 with a dramatic walk-off win.

The home team established 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. French doubled down the left field line to score Owen Swanson from second. Jake Smith hoisted a sacrifice fly to knock in French.

The visitors trimmed the deficit to 2-1 with one run in the second. Pesce scurried home as Louviaux swiped second base.

The Leopards reclaimed a two-run advantage with a run in the fourth, 3-1. Craig Rich drew a bases-loaded walk to score Smith.

The Lions erupted for four runs in the top of the fifth inning to capture a 5-3 lead. Simpson roped a single to left to plate Urena. Anthony Esposito (Mount Royal, N.J.) raked a single to right field to drive in Devin Haberstumpf (Forest Hills, N.Y.) and Simpson. Pesce hammered a double to center to score Esposito.

Wentworth narrowed the gap to 5-4 with one score in the home half of the frame. Golebiewski drove in Weninger with a base knock to left.

Eastern Nazarene chalked up two runs in the sixth to stretch the margin to 7-4. Simpson hooked a double down the left field line to knock in Urena before darting home from third base on a passed ball to tally his team-leading 30th run of the year.

The Leopards knotted the contest at 7-7 with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Weninger belted a three-run home run to right to drive in French and Swanson.

The Lions plated one run in the seventh to seize an 8-7 edge. Urena laced a single to left field to plate Louviaux all the way from first base.

Wentworth responded with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the walk-off victory, 9-8. French singled to score Dan Mitchell for the tying-run before Weninger drove in the game-winner with a two-out double to right.

Ben Petersen (Manchester, Conn.) hurled four innings and fanned four in his seventh start. Rob Dukes (Spencer, Mass.) and Brandon Imonti (Tewksbury, Mass.) both made appearances out of the bullpen.