BEVERLY, Mass. – Senior pitcher Benjamin Petrides (Belchertown, Mass.) threw nine-complete shutout innings and faced just one batter over the minimum of 27 on Thursday afternoon as the Endicott baseball team beat Gordon 3-0 to open their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) tournament play.
Petrides surrended just three hits and no walks and hit one batter, and the right hander kept the bases clean by picking off two runners at first and catching another one stealing second.
The Gulls, seeded second in the CCC Tournament, run their overall record to 27-14, while the Fighting Scots, the #5 seed, fall to 14-25 on the year.
Endicott rapped out six hits and scored single runs in the second, third and seventh innings. They took a 1-0 lead in the second on doubles by first baseman Colin Sitarz (W. Hartford, Conn.) and shortstop E.J. Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.).
The hosts doubled their advantage an inning later when catcher Robert Goldstick (Deerfield, Ill.) and third baseman Danny Mello (Peabody, Mass.) led off the frame with back to back singles and Goldstick crossed the plate on a wild pitch. The Gulls would reload the bases that inning, but Martinez struck out swinging and the Scots avoided falling into a bigger hole.
The Blue and Green got their final run in the seventh inning. Left fielder Ralph Fidaleo (Fairfield, Conn.) walked and was lifted for pinch runner Conor Ressel (Rockport, Mass.), who stole second and went to third on a wild pitch before coming in to score on a sacrifice fly to center by Mello.
Third baseman Brian Harrington (Shoreham, N.Y.) had two of Gordon's hits, while right fielder Stephen Crawford (Haddon Heights, N.J.) was hit by a pitch in the fourth and stole second , but Gordon's only real threat ended when pitcher Ben Davidson (Sterling, Mass.) struck out swinging.
He was one of five strikeout victims for Petrides, who improved to 6-1 on the year and threw his fifth complete game of the season.
The Scots had only one other runner touch second base. Center fielder Kris Camelio (Lexington, Mass.) doubled to deep center field in the top of the sixth inning, but was called out after the play when Endicott appealed that he had missed touching first base.
Davidson took the loss and fell to 3-3, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks through six and a third innings. He did collect five strikeouts. Robert Hinckley (Raynham, Mass.) threw the final inning and two thirds, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Endicott will be home tomorrow afternoon to face fourth seeded Roger Williams, who defeated Curry 6-3 in their first round game on Thursday.
Gordon will face Salve Regina in Wenham tomorrow in an elimination game. The Seahawks fell to top seeded Western New England 6-1 in their game in Springfield.
All games tomorrow start at 3:00 pm and are pending rain, which is in the forecast.