BROCKTON, Mass. - The Newbury College baseball team swept Saturday afternoon's double-header against Daniel Webster College in New England College Conference (NECC) action. Senior right-hander Danny Lumb (Stoneham, Mass.) opened the day tossing his third complete game of the season, allowing just one earned run while scattering five hits and striking out six.
In game one the Nighthawks jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, senior first baseman Cameron D'Agostino (Salisbury, Mass.) blooped a double down the rightfield line. After advancing 90 feet on a base-hit by fellow senior Steven Broy (Gorham, Maine), D'Agostino came into score on a ground-ball to second off the bat of first year designated hitter Matthew Peluso (Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada) to give the Nighthawks the 1-0 advantage.
However, the Eagles answered a half inning later. Reigning NECC Player of the Year Kyle Brigham (Hudson, N.H.) laced a double down the third baseline to plate leftfielder Dan Ierardi (Dunstable, Mass.) from second to tie up the ball-game at one.
The Nighthawks responded in the home half of the fifth. First year shortstop Billy Stephen(Windermere, Fla.) led off the frame with a base-hit before swiping second for his third steal of the season. He came around to score three batters later when sophomore centerfielderIan Hruniak (Lutz, Fla.) reached on a fielder's choice as the Eagles first baseman threw the ball into leftfield, to give the Nighthawks the 2-1 lead.
It appeared as if the Eagles were going to tie up the game in the top of the six with runners on second and third and no outs but Lumb had other ideas. Making his sixth start of the season, the Stoneham, Mass. native reared back and retired the next three batters by way of the "K."
Lumb's performance in the top of the sixth ignited the Nighthawk offense in the home half. Broy led off the inning rocketing a triple over the centerfielder's head. Three batters later, Stephen came through in the clutch with a two-out, opposite field double to drive in Broy for the insurance run.
However, the Nighthawks did not need it. Back on the hill for his third complete game of the season, Lumb retired the Eagles in order to improve to 3-3 on the year.
In game two, sophomore right-hander Ethan Forrest (East Bridgewater, Mass.) was just as dominate for the Nighthawks against junior right-hander Zach Breckwith (Manchester, N.H.). Both starters were on top of their games, taking a 0-0 ball-game into the fourth inning.
Daniel Webster jumped on the board first, pushing across a run in the top of the fourth. First baseman Dakota Williams (Hudson, N.H.) opened in the inning with a double before coming around to score the game's first run two batters later on single by shortstop Chris Martin (Manchester, N.H.).
The lead did not last for very long. In the home half of the frame Stephen came through in the clutch with a two-out opposite field double down the right-field line to plate Broy to tie the ball-game back up at 1-1.
Stephen's double ignited the Nighthawk offense as they scored four times an inning later, in the fifth. Sophomore second baseman C.J. Ingraham (Georgetown, Mass.) opened the fifth with a base-hit then scampered 90 feet on a wild pitch. Two batters later, D'Agostino earned a free trip to first base following a hit-by-pitch to load the bases. With one out in frame, Broy drove in Ingraham with a base-hit to give the Nighthawks the 2-1 advantage and knock Beckwith out of the ball-game.
Sophomore right-hander Nick Goodin (Dracut, Mass.) did not fair much better. After Zahornasky came into score on a passed ball, junior backstop Craig Barnett (Narre Warren, Victoria, Australia) ripped a two-out, two-RBI single into left-center to bring home D'Agostino and Broy to put the Nighthawks up 5-1.
It is all Forrest need as tossed his second complete game of the season allowing just one run on six hits while striking out four Eagles to improve to 4-1.
Newbury climbs above .500 on the season, improving to 12-11 and 7-5 in conference play while Daniel Webster drops to 3-13 and 0-10 in the NECC. The two teams return to the diamond tomorrow evening for the third game of the series at 7:30 p.m. on the campus of Franklin Pierce University.