MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Freshman Owen Marica (Haddam) highlighted a four-run sixth inning with a two-run double and the Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team went on to a 7-3 non-conference victory over Wesleyan University Wednesday afternoon at Dresser Diamond.
Eastern (7-6) never trailed and snapped a 1-1 tie with its four-run sixth inning, which was punctuated by three hits, a walk, hit batsman and wild pitch. Wesleyan starter Mike McCaffrey was lifted after hitting senior second baseman William Coleman (Northford) to open the sixth and after junior leftfielder John Mesagno (Tappan, NY) moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt, freshman catcher Matt Malcom (East Lyme) singled in the tie-breaking run. First-year sophomore transfer first baseman Luke Broadhurst (Stafford) then walked, and Marica stroked his first career extra-base hit, a double to right that made it 4-1. Reaching base in his 12th straight game, senior shortstop Dale Keller (Oxford) pushed the lead to 5-1 with a single to center.
Batting 4-through-7 in the order, Malcom, Broadhurst, Marica and Keller combined for all eight of Eastern's hits and drove in all seven runs and scored six.
In his first career start, sophomore righty Bryan Albee (Killingly) pitched into the fourth inning. He was replaced by sophomore lefty Jordan Federer (Plainfield) in a tie game after issuing a one-out walk. Federer (2-1) got a strikeout and fly ball to end the threat and went on to gain credit for the win. Senior righty Cole Ogorzalek (Portland) got the final six outs.
Eastern hosts New England College Thursday at 5 p.m.