Baseball Advances to NECC Championship Series with Wins Over Lesley, New England College Saturday

NEW LONDON, Conn.- The Eastern Nazarene College baseball team powered past Lesley 15-6 before topping New England College 8-1 Saturday to advance to the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Tournament championship series.

ENC VS. LESLEY
THE BASICS:
Score: Eastern Nazarene 15, Lesley 6
Records: Lions (25-13) | Lynx (13-25)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Eastern Nazarene produced a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to capture a 2-0 lead. Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) tagged up and scampered home from third base on a sacrifice fly by Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.). Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) crossed the dish as Frank Landeiro (Orlando, Fla.) reached on an error.
• The Lions manufactured six runs in the second to widen the margin to 8-0. Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) lifted a sacrifice fly to drive in Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.). Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) followed with a single to plate Eduardo Labour (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic). Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) roped a single to centerfield to score John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.). Frank Landeiro (Orlando, Fla.) laced a triple to right-centerfield to knock in Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) and Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) before Anderson Jimenez (Lowell, Mass.) raked a single to left field to drive in Frank Landeiro (Orlando, Fla.).
• Lesley tallied four runs in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 8-4.
• Eastern Nazarene answered with two runs in the home half of the third inning to stretch its advantage to 10-4. Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) scorched a base knock to centerfield to plate John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.) from second base. Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) scurried home from third base on a wild pitch.
• The Lions tacked on a run in the fourth to push their lead to 11-4. Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.) crossed the dish as Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) reached base on a defensive miscue.
• The Lynx chalked up one run in the eighth to trim the gap to 11-5.
• Eastern Nazarene generated four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to claim a 15-5 advantage.
• Lesley managed one run in the ninth to narrow the margin to 15-6.
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) racked up four hits, four RBIs, one run scored, and a stolen base.
• Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) collected three hits, three runs scored, and one RBI.
• Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.) finished with three runs scored, two base knocks, and one stolen base.
• John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.) chipped in with three runs scored, one hit, and one stolen base.
• Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) added two hits, one RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base.
• Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) pitched 7.2 innings and notched eight strikeouts. David Carey (Greenfield, Mass.) hurled 1.1 innings of relief and fanned two batters.

ENC VS. NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE
THE BASICS:
Score: Eastern Nazarene 8, New England College 1
Records: Lions (26-13) | Pilgrims (16-22)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• New England College grabbed a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning.
• Eastern Nazarene responded with a run in the bottom of the first to level the contest at 1-1. Shane McNamara (Londonderry, N.H.) roped a single to centerfield to drive in Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.).
• The Lions tallied four runs in the second to capture a 5-1 edge. Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) laced a single to centerfield to knock in Brandon Guerrero (Boston, Mass.) and Anderson Jimenez (Lowell, Mass.). Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) lasered a double to centerfield to plate Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) and Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.).
• Eastern Nazarene added three runs in the fourth inning to widen the gap to 8-1. Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) slapped a double to centerfield to score Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) and John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.). Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) tagged up and motored home as Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) lifted a sacrifice fly.
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Tyler Bean (Wellington, Fla.) posted three hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
• Francis Ferguson (Jefferson, Mass.) recorded two hits, three RBIs, and one hit.
• Elvis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) finished with two hits, two RBIs, two runs scored, and one stolen base.
• John Prentice (Saugus, Mass.) chipped in with two base knocks, one run scored, and a stolen base.
• Morgan Weast (Cincinnati, Ohio) pitched a complete game and racked up 13 strikeouts while scattering six hits and one walk.

NECC CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES:
Eastern Nazarene advances to its first-ever New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Tournament championship series and will face top-seeded Mitchell May 7.