FORT MYERS, Fla. (Mar. 12) – Nichols earned its first win of the season in dramatic fashion as the Bison scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to edge Thiel, 6-5, in a non-conference baseball matchup on Monday at the Gene Cusic Classic.

Trailing 5-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Nichols loaded the bases on its first three plate appearances. Junior Kyle Russell (West Yarmouth, Mass.) led off with a pinch hit single to right field. Classmate John Micciche (Holbrook, Mass.) then sent the ball to right center and was joined by first-year Collin Geagan (Watertown, Mass.) courtesy of a free pass. A Thiel fielding miscue allowed senior Dylan Courtney (Ware, Mass.) to reach and Russell to score. Rookie Evan Thompson (Longmeadow, Mass.) used an RBI walk to plate Micciche before another miscue allowed the final pair of runs to touch home.

The Tomcats (3-2) lit up the scoreboard with a run in the first inning and again in the fourth. Nichols (1-4) put up a tally in the bottom of the fifth on three consecutive one-out base hits as Thompson connected on a run-producing single to left field. Thiel then posted three more runs in the sixth.

Nichols chipped away at the Tomcats lead as a run crossed home plate on a wild pitch in the eighth.

Senior Andrew Letellier (Saco, Maine) surrendered five runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings of work. Junior Ray Curto (Braintree, Mass.) picked up the win (1-0) as he tossed the final 2.1 innings allowing one hit and striking out a pair of batters.

Micciche and sophomore Nick Shaw (Plymouth, Mass.) each collected a pair of hits for Nichols.

The Bison return to Terry Park 3 tomorrow afternoon for a regional showdown with Salem State at 1:00 p.m.