FRANKLIN, Mass. -- The Bates baseball team entered the NCAA Division III record books with 14 stolen bases in an 18-6 victory over Dean College Thursday afternoon in non-conference action. 

With their 14 steals, the Bobcats (7-2) tied four other teams for the seventh-most steals in one game in NCAA Division III baseball history, which dates back to 1974. Bates has stolen 51 bases in 55 attempts this season through nine contests, which is the most stolen bases per game in all of Division III. 

Seven different Bobcats swiped a bag on Thursday, led by junior Christopher Cimino (Scarborough, Maine), who stole four bases. Senior Drew Fallon (Mansfield, Mass.) added three steals and junior Jack Brennan (West Hartford, Conn.) stole two bases of his own. 

Bates tallied a season-high 20 hits on the afternoon, and Fallon led the way, going 3-5 with two runs scored, three RBI, and a walk. Brennan also tallied three hits, finishing 3-6 with three RBI. 

Junior Dylan Azcarate (Tiburon, Calif.) and sophomore Brennan Kelley (Huntersville, N.C.) both tallied their first collegiate home runs in the victory. Senior captain Tyler Attal (Los Angeles), senior Henry Jamieson (St. Simons Island, Ga.), and sophomore Ben Genser (Newton, Mass.) tallied two hits each, including one double apiece. Sophomore Brandon Biggane (Rensselaer, N.Y.) went 2-4 with a run scored and a pair of walks.

On the mound, junior Noah Timmer (Keene, N.H.) made his first collegiate start and earned his first collegiate win, tossing five innings of two-run ball, scattering six hits and striking out two. 

The Bobcats took the lead against the Bulldogs (1-10) in the top of the first and never looked back. Brennan started the game with a single up the middle. He stole second and Cimino drew a walk. Brennan and Cimino pulled off a double steal. Then with one away, Brennan was thrown out at the plate on a fielder's choice and Dean starter Jacob Salvadore (0-1) had a chance to get out of the jam. But the Bobcats pulled off their second double steal of the inning and a throwing error by the Dean catcher allowed Cimino to score.

Bates added two runs in the second and five more in the third. 

With one away in the second, Azcarate drew a walk. Genser followed with a single to right. A failed pick-off attempt allowed both runners to advance 90 feet, and with two down, Brennan singled in a pair for the 3-0 lead.

In the top of the third, Biggane got things started with a one-out walk. With two down, Biggane stole second and Attal singled him home. Jamieson reached on an infield single and the Bobcats repeated their feat from earlier in the contest, recording another double steal. Another Dean throwing error allowed Attal to score on the play. Then Azcarate cleared the bases with a two-run shot to left-center. Genser kept it going with a double to left and Fallon singled him in for the fifth run of the inning. 

The host Bulldogs made the score 8-2 with runs in the bottom of the third and fourth respectively.

But Bates got one back in the top of the sixth and ran away with the game in the seventh.

Fallon led off the sixth with a single to center. He stole second and stole third. Then Brennan drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Bulldogs cut the deficit to 9-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning before Bates tallied five in the top of the seventh.

Jamieson led off the frame with a double to left-center. He stole third and scored on a wild pitch. Azcarate and Genser drew back-to-back walks and a wild pitch moved both up 90 feet. Fallon singled them in for the 12-4 lead. Fallon stole second and scored on a Cimino single through the right side. Biggane drew a walk and junior Noah Jankowski (Methuen, Mass.) singled in Cimino, making the score 14-4.

Kelley smacked a solo home run in the top of the eighth and Dean plated two in the bottom of frame, before the Bobcats capped off the scoring in the top of the ninth. With one away, Biggane singled through the left side. Jankowski followed with a single of his own and Attal doubled in both runners. Jamieson got hit by a pitch and first-year Liam Yardley (Keene, N.H.) singled through the left side to load the bases. A passed ball scored Attal and gave Bates an 18-6 advantage.

Senior Alex Ross (Ridgefield, Conn.) struck out a pair and tossed a perfect bottom of the ninth to finish off the win for Bates.

Jacob Paschetto homered and drove in three runs for Dean. Brian Dovidio went 2-2 with three runs scored and two walks.

The Bobcats are back in action Friday at 3pm when they visit MIT.