Baseball Drops Doubleheader at WPI Sunday

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team suffered a pair of setbacks at WPI Sunday afternoon, falling 11-8 and 4-3.

The Lions sink to 11-9 on the season with the outcomes while the Engineers improve to 8-5 overall.

Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) posted four hits, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Steven Pesce (Harrison, N.Y.) notched two base knocks, three RBIs, one run scored, and a stolen base. Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) finished with three hits and one run scored. Hernhy Lara (Boston, Mass.) chipped in with four RBIs and one hit.

In the series-opener, WPI collected an 11-8 win.

The visitors chalked up two runs in the top of the first inning to seize an early 2-0 edge. McNamara laced a double to left-centerfield to drive in Bean all the way from first base. McNamara scurried home from third on an RBI groundout by Lara.

The home side responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame to snag a 3-2 lead. Kyle Johns belted a three-run homer to plate Dylan Connors and Gavin George.

Eastern Nazarene produced five runs in the second to widen the gap to 7-3. Pesce roped a single to right to knock in Luis Pina (Lynn, Mass.) and Frank Landeiro (Orlando, Fla.). McNamara raked a two-out double to score Kelvin Cortez (Corona, N.Y.) before Lara followed with a base knock to drive in Pesce.

The Engineers manufactured seven runs in the third inning to claim a 10-7 advantage and tacked on a run in the fifth to stretch their lead to 11-7.

The Lions scored once in the top of the sixth to trim the margin to 11-8. Pesce landed an RBI single in left field to plate Cortez.

Morgan Weast (Cincinnati, Ohio) hurled 2.1 innings and finished with two strikeouts in his sixth start. Jon Tessier (Coronado, Calif.) worked 3.2 innings of relief and fanned four batters.

In the weekend finale, the Engineers edged the Lions 4-3.

WPI tallied one run in the bottom of the first inning to establish a 1-0 lead. Andrew Brooks crossed the dish on an RBI groundout by Connors.

Eastern Nazarene leveled the contest at 1-1 with a run in the top of the third. McNamara hooked a double down the right field line to drive in Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.).

The hosts generated two runs in the fourth to grab a 3-1 advantage.

The visitors cut the deficit in half, 3-2, with one run in the sixth inning. McNamara tagged up and motored home from third base on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Lara.

WPI plated one run in the home half of the sixth to reclaim a two-run advantage, 4-2.

Eastern Nazarene managed one run in the seventh to pull to within a run, 4-3. Bean scorched a two-out base knock up the middle to score George Calderon Jr. (New York, N.Y.).

Cortez pitched a complete game in his first career start on the bump and registered four strikeouts.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene will host Worcester State March 30.