LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates baseball team impressed at the plate, on the mound, and in the field in a 6-0 win over the University of Maine-Farmington Friday afternoon at Leahey Field.
At the dish, the Bobcats (7-9) tallied 13 hits and drew four walks. Sophomore Christian Beal (Flossmoor, Ill.) led the way, going 2-5 with a double, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Senior Justin White (Whitesboro, N.Y.) also went 2-5 with a run scored, an RBI and a steal. First-year Antonio Jareno (Marietta, Ga.) continues to make the most of his opportunities, going 2-5 with an RBI and junior Kyle Carter (Plantation, Fla.) rounded out the multi-hit games for Bates, recording a 2-3 day at the plate with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk.
On the mound, Bates held the Beavers (4-10) to just two hits. Junior Mark Russell (Westford, Mass.) impressed in his first career start. Russell tossed three no-hit innings, getting a key strikeout with runners on second and third to end the third inning. Junior Ryan Moralejo (Miami, Fla.) entered the game in the fourth inning out of the bullpen and threw three scoreless frames, earning his first career win. Moralejo (1-0) allowed a couple of singles to begin the fourth inning but got a fly out and a double play to end the frame.
The Beavers did not record a hit after that, with sophomore Henri Pratt (Pebble Beach, Calif.), first-year Jared Pantalony (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and junior Miles Michaud (Madison, Conn.) throwing one shutout inning each to finish off the win. Michaud struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.
In the field, Bates played errorless defense. White caught a runner trying to steal to end the second and junior third baseman Giovanni Torres (North Haven, Conn.) made an outstanding bare-handed play on a slow roller in the seventh. The Bobcats turned a pair of double plays as well.
Brice Springer tossed a scoreless first inning for the Beavers but the Bobcats got to reliever Cole Lockhart (0-3) in the second inning. With one away, Torres ripped a double to left. Carter singled past a diving Kevin Carter at first to score Torres and junior Jon Lindgren (Plainville, Conn.) singled Carter to third. A wild pitch allowed Carter to score, putting the Bobcats up 2-0.
They added to their lead in the fourth against Beaver reliever Troy Johnson. Lindgren drew a walk to start the frame and promptly stole second base. Beal doubled him in and one out later, Beal stole third. Then with two away, White singled in Beal. White stole second base and Jareno singled White home to extend the Bates edge to 5-0.
The final run of the day for Bates came in the bottom of the seventh. With two away, Carter singled off Justin Rodrigue. First-year Kevin Lucey (Topsfield, Mass.) pinch hit for Lindgren and singled Carter to second. Beal reached on a Beaver error. The UMF shortstop bobbled Beal's grounder for the first error on the play, then threw wild to first, allowing Carter to score all the way from second base.
This marks the second shutout of the year thrown by the Bates pitching staff. The Bobcats blanked Salem State 11-0 on March 9.
Bates returns to action Saturday afternoon against NESCAC foe Trinity. First pitch at Leahey Field is set for 3pm.