Baseball Dealt Pair of Losses at Endicott Saturday

BEVERLY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene baseball team dropped two league contests at Endicott Saturday afternoon. The Lions slide to 7-15 overall and 1-7 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Gulls improved to 12-8 on the year and 4-0 in the league with wins of 16-7 and 14-2.

Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and David Manning (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) each drove in a team-high two RBIs on two base knocks in the twinbill. Ryan Garza (Elsa, Texas) recorded four base hits on the day and scored two runs while knocking in one RBI.

Endicott opened the scoring with a five-run outburst in the first inning of game one. Tad Gold poked an RBI single through the left side of the infield to put the hosts on the board as Conor Ressel crossed the plate. With the bases loaded, Colin Sitarz laced a bases-clearing triple to right-center as Brett Holmgren, Harry Oringer and Gold all scored. Robert Goldstick drove in Sitarz from third with an RBI double to right-centerfield with two outs.

The Gulls added three runs in the second to grab an 8-0 lead. Michael Cahill doubled to left with the bases loaded to plate Sitarz, Holmgren and Oringer.

Eastern Nazarene tallied a trio of runs in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 8-3. Jake Koch (Dayton, Nev.) drew a bases-loaded walk and Garza jogged home with the Lions' first run of the afternoon. Jeremy Wagner followed with a two-run single to the gap in right-center to score Rocco Martinelli (Panama City, Panama) and Max Pugh (San Diego, Calif.).

The home team responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Sitarz blasted a two-run home run to left with two outs and Ralph Fidaleo followed with a solo homer.

The visitors bounced back with four runs in the fifth to pull the score to 11-7. Pat Yee (Lynnfield, Mass.) led off the inning with a single up the middle and came around to score on an RBI double by Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, N.J.). Manning followed with a double to right to plate Berroa before Garza raked a double down the left field line to drive in Manning. Martinelli scampered home with two outs on a wild pitch for the Lions' fourth run of the frame.

Endicott rattled off five runs in the bottom of the sixth on eight hits. Sitarz, Fidaleo, Matthew Paola and EJ Martinez all picked up RBI base hits.

In the nightcap, the Gulls posted a five-run first inning. Oringer drove in Gold and Ressel with a single through the right side before scoring on a single to center by Sitarz. Holmgren crossed the plate on a fielder's choice and Sitarz tagged up and scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Corbin Hyde.

Eastern Nazarene picked up a run in the second as Brad Hampton (South Daytona, Fla.) motored home on a fielding error.

Endicott answered with three runs in the home half of the second. Gold scored as Holmgren stole second before Martinez doubled to plate Holmgren and Sitarz.

The Lions registered their second run of the game in the third inning to slice the margin to 8-2. Manning recorded his second RBI of the day with a double to left-center drive in Garza.

The Gulls tacked on a run in the third to take a 9-2 edge. Oringer rolled a grounder to the right side of the infield and Taylor English scooted home.

The home side manufactured five runs in the fourth on three hits. Eric Lemke doubled to plate Martinez and Sitarz before crossing the plate on a fielder's choice. English and Ressel came around to score with two away in the inning.

Up next, the Lions return home to square off against Newbury April 9. The two teams split a doubleheader in Fort Myers, Fla. earlier this season.