Baseball Wins High-Scoring Affair Over Johnson & Wales, 14-13

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team wrapped up its trip to the Palmetto State with a 14-13 narrow victory over Johnson & Wales Saturday. Saturday's contest was an offensive showcase as the two teams combined for 27 hits, including three home runs, to go with the 27 runs.

The Lions improve to 8-3 on the year with the win while the Wildcats slip to 3-3 overall.

Hunter Leroux-Porter (Greenland, N.H.) collected five RBIs, two hits, and one run scored. Steven Pesce (Harrison, N.Y.) posted three base knocks, four RBIs, and one run. Bobby Fulkerson (Anaheim, Calif.) scored three runs while adding two hits and two RBIs. Dylan Louviaux (Mohnton, Pa.) finished with three runs scored, one hit, and one RBI. Joshua Bombard (Rutland, Mass.) chipped in with an RBI, one base knock, and one run scored. Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.) and Juan Jacobo Lopez (San Diego, Calif.) each tallied two runs and one hit in the game.

Johnson & Wales claimed a 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Colby Greenhalgh singled to drive in Rich Bourdeau before Armani Henderson launched a two-run homer.

The Lions generated four runs in the third to snag a 4-3 edge. Fulkerson roped a double to plate Louviaux from second base. Bombard raked a two-out single to knock in Fulkerson before Leroux-Porter belted his first collegiate home run, a two-run blast to score Bombard.

Eastern Nazarene tacked on four runs in the fourth inning to widen the gap to 8-3. With the bases loaded, Pesce delivered a two-run double to drive in Louviaux and Guerrero. Leroux-Porter laced a two-out single to plate Fulkerson and Pesce.

The Wildcats scored once in the fifth to trim the deficit to 8-4. Vin Amalfitano singled to knock in Greenhalgh all the way from first base.

Johnson & Wales plated a run in the bottom of the sixth to narrow the margin to 8-5. Joe Maracic landed an RBI single to drive in Gary Peralta.

The Lions manufactured four runs in the top of the seventh inning to extend their lead to 12-5. Fulkerson drew a bases-loaded walk to score Jacobo Lopez before Pesce smacked a single to plate Louviaux and Guerrero. Leroux-Porter collected his fifth RBI of the contest as he reached on a fielder's choice that knocked in Fulkerson.

The Wildcats responded with three runs in the home half of the frame to pull to within three, 12-8. Griffin Snyder's single drove in Amalfitano. Raimiel Rodriguez scampered home on a wild pitch before Nick Lloyd crossed the dish on an RBI base hit by Bourdeau.

Eastern Nazarene tallied a pair of runs in the eighth to push its advantage to 14-9. Andres Medina (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) motored home from second base as Guerrero reached on an error. Jacobo Lopez tagged up and scored as Louviaux hoisted a sacrifice fly to left field.

Johnson & Wales answered with two scores in the bottom of the eighth to slice the gap to 14-10. After a leadoff double by Greenhalgh, Adam Diehl smashed a two-run home run.               

The Wildcats chalked up three runs in the ninth but their comeback bid fell just short as the Lions escaped with their third one-run win of the spring, 14-13. Maracic and Patrick Fleming both crossed the dish on a single to centerfield by Greenhalgh before he scored on a groundout by Henderson.

Briley Seiter (Bellevue, Ky.) threw five innings in his third start of the season and recorded five strikeouts. Jon Tessier (Coronado, Calif.) hurled two innings of relief in his team-leading sixth appearance of the year and fanned two batters. Fulkerson worked the final two frames and registered one strikeout in his first relief outing to pick up his first save of the spring.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene will begin NECC play March 13 on the road at Mitchell.