HAVERHILL, Mass. – Freshman Nick Roy (Middletown, Conn.) drove in a pair of runs as the Nichols College baseball team opened the 2015 campaign with a 4-2 win over Bates in non-conference action Sunday evening at Trinity Stadium.

The win marks the first time the Bison (1-0) have started a season with a win since the 2011 season when they opened the year by sweeping a doubleheader against Newbury in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

Freshman StigErik McElhinney (Dracut, Mass.) struck out nine batters while walking two and allowing three hits through five innings of relief to take the win. Sophomore Adam Rigney (Niantic, Conn.) started the game and pitched four solid innings giving up just one run (unearned) and four hits while walking two and striking out one.

Roy paced Nichols with two hits including a 2-RBI single in the sixth inning to put the Bison in the lead. Sophomore Mike Piekarczyk (Dudley, Mass.) and freshman Ross Caswell(Randolph, Vt.) also drove in runs for the Bison.

Junior Conor Reenstierna (Lincoln, Mass.) led the Bobcats with two hits and one RBI while senior Nate Pajka (Douglas, Mass.) had two hits. Junior Connor Colombo (Mendon, Mass.) started and went five shutout innings while just walking two and allowing five hits. The loss went to senior Aidan Sullivan (Yarmouth, Maine) as he pitched the final four innings in relief allowing four runs on four hits and walking six to just three strikeouts.

The Bison are scheduled to play a doubleheader at Mitchell on Wednesday with the first pitch set for 2:30 p.m. The Bobcats host Bowdoin on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.