Baseball Splits with Maine-Farmington in Home-Opening Twinbill

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team halved a doubleheader against Maine-Farmington Wednesday at Adams Field in the first home games of the spring. The Lions prevailed 6-3 in the opener and the Beavers salvaged the split with a 9-7 win in game two.

The Lions move to 9-5 on the year with the results while the Beavers progress to 3-6 overall.

Steven Pesce (Harrison, N.Y.) paced the offense with three hits, two RBIs, and a pair of runs scored. Josue Basilis (Bronx, N.Y.) notched three base knocks, two RBIs, and one run. Joshua Bombard (Rutland, Mass.) registered three hits, one RBI, and one run scored. Dylan Louviaux (Mohnton, Pa.) chipped in with two hits, two runs scored, and one RBI while Hunter Leroux-Porter (Greenland, N.H.) added two base knocks, one RBI, and one run.

In game one, Eastern Nazarene edged Maine-Farmington 6-3 despite the Beavers owning an 11-8 hit margin.

The hosts manufactured three runs in the second inning to establish a 3-0 advantage. Louviaux rounded third and scored on a base knock by Basilis. Connor Simpson (Haverhill, Mass.) scorched a two-out single to centerfield to drive in Matthew Urena (Flushing, N.Y.) and Basilis.

The visitors tallied twice in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 3-2 as Derek Bowen and Troy Johnson picked up back-to-back RBIs.

Eastern Nazarene responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame to regain a three-run edge, 5-2. Bombard roped a double to the gap in right-centerfield to plate Pesce. Louviaux followed with a sacrifice fly to score Zachary Carmody (Babylon, N.Y.) from third.

The Lions tacked on a run in the sixth to widen the gap to 6-2. Tyler Hoelzer (East Islip, N.Y.) scampered home from third base on a wild pitch.

Maine-Farmington pulled to within three with one run in the seventh inning, 6-3. With the bases loaded, Troy Johnson drew a walk to knock in Chase Malloy.

Rookie Morgan Weast (Cincinnati, Ohio) hurled six innings and fanned five in his second start of the season. Brent Houle (Westfield, Mass.) tossed one scoreless inning of relief in his second game out of the bullpen.

In the nightcap, Maine-Farmington logged a 9-7 victory over Eastern Nazarene.

The Beavers snagged a 1-0 edge in the top of the first inning. Malloy landed a single in centerfield to plate Jake Bessey from second base.

The guests generated a pair of runs in the second to stretch their lead to 3-0. Joshua Xanders and Hunter LaBossiere each crossed the dish as Noah Preble and Danny Terhune both reached on errors in the inning.

The Lions knotted the contest at 3-3 with three runs in the bottom of the second. Leroux-Porter sliced a double down the left field line to drive in Bombard. Carmody tagged up and dashed home from third as Urena lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Basilis laced a two-out single to centerfield to knock in Leroux-Porter.

Eastern Nazarene seized a one-run edge in the fourth, 4-3. Louviaux scored all the way from first as Urena reached on an error.

Maine-Farmington jumped ahead 6-4 with three runs in the top of the fifth frame. Justin Rodrigue scurried home on a passed ball before Malloy scored on a wild pitch. LaBossiere raked a triple to left field to drive in Xanders.

The home side chalked up two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 6-6. Anthony Esposito (Mount Royal, N.J.) roped a triple to right-centerfield to plate Simpson from first base. Pesce followed with a single through the left side of the infield to score Esposito.

The Beavers scored twice in the sixth to take an 8-6 advantage. Bowen singled up the middle to drive in Zach Hartsgrove before Rodrigue crossed the dish on an infield hit by Kevin Carter.

Maine-Farmington tacked on a run in the seventh to extend its lead to 9-6. Hartsgrove bolted home on a wild pitch.

The Lions plated one run in the bottom of the seventh as Pesce launched his first home run of the year.

Ben Petersen (Manchester, Conn.) pitched 4.1 innings in his second start of the spring and finished with two strikeouts. Tommy Merrick (Brockton, Mass.) hurled one frame in his team-leading fifth relief outing and posted a pair of strikeouts. Daniel Rivera (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) worked 1.2 frames in his fourth appearance and fanned five.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene visits Endicott March 28 for a non-conference clash.