Baseball Splits Key Conference Series at Regionally-Ranked Mitchell

NEW LONDON, Conn.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team prevailed 3-2 before falling 11-5 at Mitchell Friday afternoon in the final league doubleheader of the regular season. The Mariners appeared in the first NCAA Regional Rankings released earlier this week.

             
GAME ONE
THE BASICS:
Score: Eastern Nazarene 3, Mitchell 2
Records: Lions (24-11, 6-5 NECC) | Mariners (27-8, 10-1 NECC)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Eastern Nazarene tallied one run in the top of the first inning to claim a 1-0 edge. Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) laced a two-out double to left field to drive in Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic).
• Mitchell answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the first to snag a 2-1 advantage.
• The Lions responded with two runs in the second to recapture the lead, 3-2. John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.) roped a single to right field to plate Anderson Jimenez (Lowell, Mass.). Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) scorched a double to centerfield to score John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.) all the way from first base.
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.) and Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) both posted two hits, one RBI, one run scored, and a stolen base.
• Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) collected one hit and one RBI while Anderson Jimenez (Lowell, Mass.) added one hit and one run scored.
• Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) finished with two base knocks at the dish and tossed a complete game with 10 strikeouts in his ninth start on the bump.

GAME TWO
THE BASICS:
Score: Eastern Nazarene 5, Mitchell 11
Records: Lions (24-12, 6-6 NECC) | Mariners (28-8, 11-1 NECC)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Mitchell manufactured three runs in the second inning to establish a 3-0 lead.
• The Mariners used a seven-run outburst in the third to stretch their advantage to 10-0.
• Eastern Nazarene produced five runs in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 10-5. Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) raked a single to drive in Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) and Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.). Frank Landeiro (Orlando, Fla.) followed with his third home run of the season, a three-run blast to score Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) and Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.).
• The home side tacked on a run in the fifth frame to widen the gap to 11-5.
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Frank Landeiro (Orlando, Fla.) notched three RBIs, one hit, and one run scored.
• Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) collected two RBIs, one base hit, and one run scored.
• Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) and Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) each contributed with one hit and one run scored.
• Morgan Weast (Cincinnati, Ohio) threw two innings and chalked up two strikeouts. Kelvin Cortez (Corona, N.Y.) worked four innings of relief and fanned one batter.

NECC TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS SET:
With Eastern Nazarene's win over Mitchell in game one, the Lions locked up the No. 2 seed in the New England Collegiate Conference Tournament. Eastern Nazarene will face off against third-seeded New England College in the first round of the NECC Tournament May 5. Mitchell clinched the top seed and will host the tournament May 5-7 while Lesley snagged the No. 4 seed.

UP NEXT:
Eastern Nazarene caps off the regular season May 2 at home against Salem State on Senior Night.