NASHUA, N.H. — Coming on the heels of a huge Wednesday victory over Mitchell College, the Southern Vermont College baseball team went into Daniel Webster College Friday afternoon and won the first game of a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) series with the Eagles by a 9-0 margin at Harvey Woods Field.
SVC (5-11, 2-2 NECC) chalked up five runs in the second inning and never looked back, keeping the Eagles from crossing the plate for the Mountaineers' third shutout of the season. Southern Vermont added two in the sixth and another pair through the final three frames to close out the decisive win.
The two sides were scheduled to finish the league series on Saturday, but Friday rain in Vermont forced that NECC twin bill to be postponed (makeup date to be determined). SVC will take the rest of the weekend off, resuming its schedule next Wednesday with a 3:30 p.m. non-conference contest at Eastern Nazarene College.
The Mountaineers' fourth annual head shaving event, that was set to take place on Saturday in support of the Vs. Cancer Foundation, will now be held next Saturday, April 2 at SVC's Bill Epstein Field following an NECC doubleheader against Newbury College.
Southern Vermont junior right-hander Joshua Hay (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) picked up his first victory of the year (1-2) from the bump, giving up just seven hits while striking out six DWC batters in seven innings with the start. Freshman righty Joe Braim (Schuylerville, N.Y.) came on in relief, tossing a hitless two innings out of the bullpen.
SVC freshman center fielder Zack Stacey (Saratoga, N.Y.) went 1-4 with a walk at the plate, scoring two runs and knocking in another. Sophomore shortstop John Arancio (Oradell, N.J.) was 1-2 with a walk and two runs scored, and junior designated hitter Anthony Mercuri (Ridge, N.Y.) also touched the dish twice on the day.
After the Mountaineers went down in order in the top of the first, Daniel Webster was able to get a pair aboard in the home half of the frame. Hay induced the inning-ending grounder, however, to get his team back into the dugout.
Arancio worked a one-out walk to get on base, and Mercuri followed with a hit by pitch to put a pair aboard for freshman catcher Dan Mason (Bloomingdale, N.J.). An error on the Daniel Webster shortstop allowed all the runners to reach safely, Arancio scoring while Mercuri moved around to third. SVC then took a 2-0 lead when Mercuri and Mason executed the double steal from the corners, and a second fielding miscue followed for Southern Vermont to get runners back to first and third.
Stacey stepped up and sent a two-out single into right center to bring home Mason, and he then swiped second as the Mountaineers stayed aggressive. Daniel Webster's third error of the frame allowed the inning to continue, giving way for freshman Cody Sullivan (Brunswick, N.Y.) to cross home and make it a 5-0 Southern Vermont advantage.
Hay got the Eagles to strand two runners in both the bottom of the second and then the third to maintain the upper hand. Daniel Webster used a pickoff to get out of the top of the fourth before leaving a runner at second in the bottom of the box, and a lone DWC double in the fifth was the only batter to reach safely during the inning.
SVC extended its lead in the sixth with two runs on two hits, Arancio starting things off as he drove a single into center. Mercuri ensued with a walk, and a sacrifice bunt by Mason advanced both runners into scoring position. Sullivan slapped a run-scoring double down the line in right to bring home Arancio, and a sac fly off the bat of sophomore left fielder Luigi Magliocca (Broadalbin, N.Y.) put the team ahead 7-0.
Daniel Webster nearly got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases by way of two Southern Vermont errors and a walk. Hay got out of the jam unscathed, however, as he retired the side with a grounder back at him.
The Mountaineers further padded their cushion in the next frame after sophomore right fielder Niko D'Agnese (Mahopac, N.Y.) sent a lead-off single into left. He swiped second with the team's fourth stolen base of the day, and he came all the way around to score during the same at bat when junior third baseman Niko Horwith (La Crescenta, Calif.) drove in the run with a single to left.
Once again, DWC came close to scoring as the Eagles got runners to first and second in the bottom of the seventh. A single to left followed, and Daniel Webster tried to make it count by waving the lead runner home. Magliocca threw the Eagle out at the plate, however, registering the outfield assist to keep the shutout intact.
SVC went down in order for a quick top of the eighth before DWC loaded the pond with one out during its turn to bat. An interference call prevented the runner at third from scoring, and Braim shuffled over to cover first on a grounder down to Sullivan to get out of the inning.
After Stacey walked to start the ninth, he stole his second base of the day and moved up to third on a D'Agnese ground out to the right side. Senior second baseman RJ Pingitore (Perth, N.Y.) singled to center, making it a 9-0 Mountaineer upper hand in the late-going. Braim allowed just a lone runner to reach on a hit by pitch in the bottom of the ninth with two down, but he wrapped up the game by getting the final Eagle batter to go down looking.