QUINCY, Mass. – Sophomore Tim Ford (Stafford Springs, Conn.) had three hits and four RBI in the opener and freshman Brendan Martin (Nashua, N.H.) drove in a pair in the nightcap as the Nichols College baseball team took a pair of Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) games from Eastern Nazarene College Monday afternoon at Bradley Field.
The Bison won game one, 12-5, and game two, 5-3, to improve to 8-19-1 (4-11-1 CCC) – the most wins since 2012. Sophomore Matt Hardy (North Attleboro, Mass.) plated two runs in game one while freshman Spencer Madden (Nashua, N.H.) went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Freshmen Nick Osma (Babylon, N.Y.) and Ross Caswell (Randolph, Vt.) each had two hits in game two.
With the score tied at one in the opener, the Bison scored two in the second, third, and fourth innings to build a 7-1 lead. Ford belted his first home run of the season in the second to give NC a 2-1 lead before Harrow's sac fly brought in Martin. An RBI single from Martin in the third and an RBI double off the bat of Ford in the fourth sparked the scoring.
Run-scoring doubles from Madden in the fifth and Harrow in the sixth allowed Nichols to extend its lead to 10-4 after six complete innings, and Ford drew the team's second bases-loaded walk of the game in the seventh to make it 12-4.
Freshman StigErik McElhinney (Dracut, Mass.) scattered eight hits and surrendered five runs to earn his second collegiate win. He walked seven and fanned three over seven innings. Freshman Antonio Ortegon (Haltom City, Texas) took the loss, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) with four walks and one strikeout in 1.1 IP. Junior Jose Arebalo (Brentwood, Calif.) went 2-for-2 with an RBI for the Lions (13-22, 2-14 CCC).
Nichols threw up a '4' spot in the second to open up a 4-0 lead. Martin doubled down the right field line to plate Caswell and Hardy with the game's first two runs, and a sac fly from freshman Nick Roy (Middletown, Conn.) and an RBI double from Harrow extended the lead. The Lions responded with three runs in their half of the frame, highlighted by a two-run double from freshman Jesus Rivera (Homestead, Fla.). Hardy's RBI single in the fifth scored Osma and closed the scoring.
Sophomore Adam Rigney (Niantic, Conn.) earned his second win of the season for the Bison as he gave up seven hits and three runs over seven innings. He walked one and struck out three. Sophomore Brandon Wynne (New Haven, Conn.) was tagged for seven hits and five runs in five innings of work.
Nichols plays at Fitchburg State Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. The Lions close their season Thursday with a pair against Lesley, beginning at 2:30 p.m.