FORT MYERS, FL – Before Eastern Connecticut State University Baseball took the field in a battle of unbeaten teams against Skidmore College, the Warriors (6-0) learned they were ranked 4^th in the latest D3Baseball.com/NCBWA national poll while receiving one first-place vote. After trailing in the second inning, 3-1, Eastern roared back with six unanswered runs against the Thoroughbreds (7-1) on a hot day at Terry Park Sports Complex en route to an 11-6 win on Tuesday afternoon.

Senior right-hander Zach Player (East Hampton) got his second start of the season, striking out the side in the first inning before the Warrior offense went to work with junior utilityman Zach Donahue (South Windsor) rattling a double to deep center field before advancing on a wild pitch to third during sophomore outfielder Jason Claiborn's (Prospect) at-bat. A fielder's choice by graduate outfielder John Mesagno (Tappan, NY) got Eastern on the board first, 1-0.

After securing the first two outs of the second inning, Zach Player would run into some trouble as the bottom of the Skidmore lineup threatened to take control of the game. With runners on second and third, senior shortstop William Synder hit a line-drive single to right field scoring a run before sophomore outfielder Jaden Torrado walked, ending the start for Player.

First-year right-handed reliever Griffin Pontbriant (Bozrah) would replace Player and give up a two-out, two-strike single to junior outfielder Danny Melillo, who was hitting .421 entering the day, scoring two runs to make it 3-1 in favor of the Thoroughbreds and closing out Player's line for the day. The senior finished his start going 1 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (all earned) on one hit while striking out four and walking three.

Eastern would go on the offensive immediately against junior right-hander Justin Posnik in the bottom of the second as sophomore first baseman Alejandro Soriano (Hartford), who made his first collegiate start for the Warriors in right field, led off with a single. Two walks, a hit batter, and an error enabled Eastern to plate two runs before senior third baseman Luke Broadhurst (Stafford) dealt the finishing blow to Posnik's start who was lifted after Broadhurst's RBI single put the Warriors ahead 4-3.

Another wild pitch and walk would allow Eastern to score two more runs off of first-year reliever Sam Kornet in the second inning and the Warriors would add another run in the third inning on a Mesagno groundout, making it six unanswered and giving them a 7-3 lead.

Jaden Torrado looked to get the Thoroughbreds back into the contest, hitting a home run onto another field at Terry Park Sports Complex and after a Melillo single, Skidmore looked to continue their momentum. Pontbriant would retire Melillo at second on a controversial fielder's choice by senior catcher Jackson Hornung which saw Melillo retired at second base after Hornung's line drive popped out of junior second baseman Brent Cosculluela (Miami, FL).

Coscullela picked up the ball, flipped to second to retire Melillo, and Zach Donahue threw over to first ahead of Hornung reaching first. After initially being ruled a double play, the call was changed, giving the Thoroughbreds a runner on first with one out and the heart of the lineup coming up.
 
First-year designated hitter Trey Bourque reached on an infield single, putting two on with one out still in the fourth. Hitting .321 with one home run and 11 RBIs coming into the game, junior left fielder Max Mello stepped to the plate with a chance to tie. Mello would ground a ball towards the second base hole which Coscullela fielded and flipped behind his back to start a 4-6-3 double play to escape the inning with a 7-4 lead.

Alejandro Soriano and sophomore catcher Matthew Bradbury (Newtown) helped mount a response for the Warriors in the bottom half of the frame. Soriano's first collegiate double to deep center field scored senior first baseman Dean Slavin (Tappan, NY) and Bradbury's sacrifice fly allowed senior outfielder Jack Rich (Meriden) to score, giving Eastern a five-run lead, 9-4.

The bottom of the Skidmore order once again looked to get their team back into the game as a Synder single, Torrado triple, and Melillo groundout to start the sixth inning pulled the Thoroughbreds within three, 9-6. An infield single by Hornung would end the relief appearance for Pontbriant who worked 3 2/3 innings giving up nine hits, three runs (all earned), walking one, and striking out three.

Over the last 3 2/3 innings, the relief duo of senior right-hander Bryan Albee (Killingly) and graduate right-hander Tommy Benincaso (Norwalk) shut down the Skidmore lineup while combining for five strikeouts in allowing one hit. Eastern would tack on two more runs on an error and double play in the bottom of the sixth to go up 11-6, which would be the final score of the game.

Zach Donahue, Jason Claiborn, and Luke Broadhurst all extended their on-base streaks to start the season to six games. Donahue doubled in the first inning before walking three times in a 1-for-3 performance at the dish. Claiborn singled while also walking twice and being hit by a pitch and Broadhurst's first-inning walk as part of a 2-for-5 game with a single and a double helped the trio keep their streaks going.

After coming into the game hitting .571 and leading in nearly every offense category for Skidmore, Jackson Hornung was subdued by the Warrior pitching staff. Hornung went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.

Jason Torrado led the way for the Thoroughbreds, falling just short of the cycle in his 3-for-3 game. Torrado recorded a single, triple, and home run after walking in the second inning.

In a rematch of the 2021 NCAA Division III Auburn, NY Regional, the Warriors will take on U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on Wednesday afternoon at Lee County Development Complex. First pitch is scheduled for noon. Last year, the two teams dueled it out as Eastern ace Josh Vincent spun eight innings against senior lefty Joe Raab who pitched a complete game in USMMA's 2-1 win to open up regional play.