WORCESTER, Mass. - The Nichols College baseball team fell to Worcester State by a score of  5-4 in a non-conference game on Thursday afternoon at Kevin D. Lyons Baseball Diamond at Rockwood Park.
 
The Lancers (10-12) wasted little time taking an early 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Joe Carlier (Rockland, Mass.) opened the scoring with an RBI ground out to second plating, senior Nick Gezotis (Westfield, Mass.) who drew a walk to open the frame. Sophomore Zach George (Attleboro, Mass,) followed with a run producing single up the middle plating senior Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, Mass.), who reached on a fielder's choice.
 
Nichols (4-18) got on the board in the top half of the fourth when junior Shayne McNally (Auburn, Mass.) reached on a throwing error by the third baseman and came around to score on senior Kyle Russell's (West Yarmouth, Mass.) infield single to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. The Bison evened the score at 2-2 in the fifth when McNally singled through the left side to plate senior Cody Jankins (West Brookfield, Mass.). Jankins drew a one-out walk to get on base.
 
The Blue and Gold responded in a big way in the bottom of the sixth when three runners crossed home plate for the 5-2 edge. Sabacinski started the inning with a single to left and was then sacrificed to second before George reached on a muffed throw by the first baseman putting runners at the corners with one out. After, sophomore Steve Wallace (Auburn, Mass.) and freshman Brandon Hoyle (Bridgewater, Mass.) then registered RBI singles, junior Dan Ubele (Tyngsboro, Mass.) plated Wallace with a sacrifice fly to right for the final score of the frame.
 
The Black and White chipped away at the deficit and registered a run a piece in the seventh and eighth to make it a one-run game. Sophomore Evan Thompson (Longmeadow, Mass.) lined a sharply hit ball up the middle to plate first-year Benjamin Harrow (North Reading, Mass.), who registered a walk with one man down in the top of the seventh for the 5-3 score. Then in the eighth, senior John Micciche (Holbrook, Mass.) hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring classmate Bryan Gill (New Hyde Park, N.Y.), who reached on a fielder's choice.
 
With the score 5-4 in the top of the ninth, sophomore Rob MacDonald (Waltham, Mass.) moved from first-base to the mound. After issuing a lead-off walk he got the next three batters swinging to earn his third save of the campaign with the tying run in scoring position after Jankins swiped second.
 
Senior Cruz Rosado (Clinton, Mass.) went the first seven for the Lancers to pick up his first win of the season. Rosado (1-2) gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits while walking six and fanning four.
 
Freshman Joseph Nicolace (Cranston, R.I.) was dealt the loss for the Bison. Nicholace (0-3) went six innings surrendering all five runs (four earned) on five hits with six free passes and three punch outs. Senior left hander Ray Curto (Braintree, Mass,) was solid in relief throwing two scoreless frames without yielding a hit for the visitors.
 
Russell finished the game 2-for-3 with and RBI and senior Anthony Benvenuti (North Haven, Conn.) also registered a two base-knock performance. Freshman Brady Boisvert (Plainfield, N.H.) led the way with three safeties including a two-bagger for Nichols.
 
George went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI, and a run scored for the Lancers and Sabacinski touched home plate twice.
 
The Bison out hit WSU in the game 9-5, but left 12 runners on base – including eight in scoring position. Nichols also turned a pair of nifty double plays while the hosts turned in one.
 
Nichols returns home for a Commonwealth Coast Conference twinbill with Gordon tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Worcester State returns to action Saturday with a MASCAC double header at Framingham State starting at 1:00 p.m. on the road.
 
Courtesy Worcester State Sports Information Graduate Assistant John Hanna