Baseball Secures Doubleheader Split at New England College

HENNIKER, N.H.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team dropped a narrow 7-6 decision before collecting a 7-4 victory at New England College Saturday afternoon.

The Lions progress to 17-15-1 on the season and 5-4-1 in the New England Collegiate Conference with the outcomes. The Pilgrims move to 15-12 overall and 5-3 in league action with the results.

Frank Landeiro (Orlando, Fla.) posted five hits, three RBIs, three runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases. Anderson Jimenez (Lowell, Mass.) notched two hits and two runs scored while Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) registered two base knocks and three runs scored.

In game one, New England College earned a 7-6 walk-off victory.

The visitors plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead. After Bean drew a leadoff walk, Landeiro launched a two-run blast for his fourth homer of the year.

The home side got on the board in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 2-1. Harutaro Takahashi roped a double to right-centerfield to drive in Luca Giallongo.

Eastern Nazarene tallied a run in the second to reclaim a two-run advantage, 3-1. Juan Jacobo Lopez (San Diego, Calif.) laced a two-out single down the left field line to knock in Jimenez.

The Lions tacked on a run in the third inning to widen the gap to 4-1. Bean tagged up and motored home from third base on a sacrifice fly by Steven Pesce (Harrison, N.Y.).

New England College produced two runs in the home half of the third to trim the margin to 4-3. Sylvain Audet slapped a double to left-centerfield to plate Connor Morin and Takahashi.

The Pilgrims manufactured three runs in the fourth frame to capture a 6-4 lead. Brady Philibott doubled to left-centerfield to drive in Patrick Hagerty and Devin Parsons. Michael Ciccotelli lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Philibott from third.

Eastern Nazarene scored twice in the top of the sixth to knot the game at 6-6. Ethaniel Almendaraz (Lynn, Mass.) scorched a base hit up the middle to knock in Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) and Pesce.

The hosts clinched the 7-6 victory in the bottom of the seventh inning as Morin scored the game-winning run.

Jon Tessier (Coronado, Calif.) tossed his fourth complete game of the season and finished with four strikeouts.

In the series finale, Eastern Nazarene bounced back to lock up a 7-4 victory.

The visitors tallied two runs in the top of the first inning to establish a 2-0 lead. Bean and Landeiro both crossed the dish on wild pitches in the frame.

The Lions added a pair of runs in the third to double their advantage to 4-0. Pesce lasered a double to centerfield to drive in Landeiro. McNamara followed with a double to right field to plate Pesce from second base.

Eastern Nazarene extended its lead to 6-0 with two runs in the fourth inning. Jimenez scored on a bunt single by Kelvin Cortez (Corona, N.Y.) before Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.) scurried home from third on a wild pitch.

New England College scored twice in the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-2. Audet belted a two-run home run to knock in Takahashi.

The guests tacked on a run in the sixth to push their lead to 7-2. Landeiro raked a one-out single to plate Cortez.

The Pilgrims picked up a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth inning to narrow the margin to 7-4. Philibott crushed a two-run homer down the left field line to score Giallongo.

Briley Seiter (Bellevue, Ky.) pitched five innings and fanned one batter in his sixth start on the mound. Dale Beneway (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) hurled two scoreless innings of relief to earn his first collegiate save.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene travels to Albertus Magnus April 27 for a pair of non-league tilts.