LAGRANGE, G.A. (3/2/2024) – Behind three shutout innings of relief work from junior Sean Ryan, the Nichols College baseball team came back from 10 runs down to earn a 12-11 win over the LaGrange College Panthers and a split of the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon from Cleaveland Field. The Bison dropped one game 10-4, before responding 12-11.
Junior William Nath led all Bison hitters, going 5-8 in the two games and an RBI for the Bison. Graduate Student Jim Marasco continued his hot start with a two run home-run in the second game for the Bison. Ryan earned the win in the second game with 3.0 innings pitched and four strikeouts.
Game 1: LaGrange 10, Nichols 4
After senior Johnny Knox reached first base on an error and Marasco then singled to centerfield. Graduate Student William Kleinhenz then added a single and scored Knox to open the scoring in the top half of the first inning.
Senior Karl Miller opened the second inning with a single through the right side and then stole second base. Freshmen Charlie Tarara then walked to place runners on first and second base. Knox then reached on a fielder's choice and senior Brennan Hyde walked to load the bases with one out. Marasco was hit by a pitch to walk in a run for a 2-0 Bison lead.
The Panthers answered back with a run in the third inning to cut into the Bison lead, 2-1. In the fourth inning, the home team added four runs on four hits for a 5-2 lead. In the top half of the fifth inning, Miller stole second and the throw from the catcher ended up in center field and Kleinhenz scored to cut into the lead, 5-3.
In the seventh inning, Marasco singled and Kleinhenz walked to put runners on first and second. Senior Andrew Croteau doubled down the right field line and scored Marasco from second base, pulling the Bison within one, 5-4.
The Panthers closed the game out, with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to 10-4. Nichols dropped the first game 10-4.
Graduate Student Patrick Sawyer (0-1) was tabbed with the loss for the Bison, in 2.2 innings with one strikeout. Juior Clark Churchill gave the Bison 4.2 innings of relief, striking out four batters and allowing one run on four hits.
Game 2: LaGrange 11, Nichols 12
The Bison found themselves in a hole almost immediately into game two. LaGrange plated three runs in the opening frame to jump out to a 3-0 lead. The Panthers continued to pour it on, with a seven run third inning, to open up a 10-0 lead on the Bison.
Nichols began to turn the tide in the fourth inning and start their climb back into the game. With two out and runners on second and third, Hyde scored on a pass ball, that saw Kleinhenz reached third base. Miller singled to right field and cored Kleinhenz, as the Bison trialed 10-2.
LaGrange, pushed the lead back to nine runs, with another run in the bottom of the sixth. Nichols exploded in the top of the seventh for nine runs to pull even.
After back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch, to load the bases, Knox reached on a fielder's choice and scored Nath to make it 11-3. Hyde then doubled to center field and scored junior Luis Vargas. Knox and Hyde boh advanced on a wild pitch and Knox scored to make it 11-5.
Marasco continued the inning with a two-run home run that snuck inside the left field pole to make it 11-7. Nath singled to right field with the bases loaded, scoring Kleinhenz. Vargas walked in a run with the bases still loaded. Miller scored on a wild pitch, tallying the lead to 11-10. Sophomore Dylan Moran hit a long fly ball to right field, and Nath was tagging and scored to even the game at 11-11.
In the top of the ninth inning, sophomore Noah Sanabia walked to lead off the inning. Moran ground out and pushed Sanabia over to second base. Knox then batted and ripped a single into left field, scoring Sanabia from second bases and giving the Biso there first lead of the game.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Ryan struck out the final batter, to steal the win for the Bison. Ryan (1-0) earned his win of the season, throwing 3.0 scoreless innings and added four strikeouts. Freshman Johnathon Brzezicki threw 2.0 solid innings wit three strikeouts.
Nichols (2-2) will look to grab the final game of the three-game set against the Panthers of LaGrange College. First pitch is set for 11:30 a.m. from Cleaveland Field on Sunday, March 3.