FRANKLIN, Mass. -- The Bates baseball team scored three runs in the fifth, four in the sixth and two more in the seventh to pull away from the Dean College Bulldogs in a 10-5 non-conference win Tuesday afternoon.
Bates (11-11) tallied eight hits in the contest and drew 11 walks. The Bulldogs (8-19) recorded nine hits and drew five walks. Both teams had rough games in the field, with the Bobcats committing three errors and the Bulldogs committing four errors. The game was called on account of darkness after the top of the ninth inning with Bates up 10-5.
With the score tied at one, the Bobcats took the lead for good in the top of the fifth against Bulldog starter Alex Belanger (2-2). Junior Jon Lindgren (Plainville, Conn.) drew a walk to start the frame and he proceeded to steal second base. Sophomore Christian Beal (Flossmoor, Ill.) singled Lindgren to third and first-year Antonio Jareno (Marietta, Ga.) reached on a throwing error. Lindgren scored on the play, putting Bates up 2-1. After the Bulldogs turned a double play, senior Justin White (Whitesboro, N.Y.) singled to center and first-year Bryan Gotti (Westwood, Mass.) reached on an error. Jareno scored and Bates led 3-1. Junior Giovanni Torres (North Haven, Conn.) drew a walk to load the bases and a wild pitch scored White to extend the Bobcat advantage to 4-1.
Bates starting pitcher first-year Grant Iuliano (Waltham, Mass.) tossed four innings for Bates on the mound. Iuliano allowed two runs on three hits, walking four and striking out three in a no-decision. He started the fifth inning but walked the leadoff man, so the Bobcats brought in junior Ryan Moralejo (Miami, Fla.) out of the bullpen. Brian Hadden singled the runner to third and a Jeff Sharnick RBI grounder cut the Bates lead to 4-2. After Andrew Dirito reached on an error, Daniel Anderson singled him to second and Landon Fish singled him home, making the score 4-3.
The Bobcats put some distance between themselves and the Bulldogs in the sixth inning. Lindgren singled to start the inning and one out later Jareno drew a walk. Junior captain Jack Arend (Newfields, N.H.) drew a walk as well, loading the bases and chasing reliever Austin Crowley from the game. Justin Naylor entered the game and he balked in Lindgren for the first run of the inning. White drew a walk to load the bases again and a wild pitch scored Jareno from third. With two away, Torres reached on an error by the Bulldog right fielder and two runs scored on the play, making the score 8-3 in favor of the Bobcats.
After Moralejo gave up back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the sixth, Bates brought in senior Justin Foley (Lynnfield, Mass.) out of the bullpen. A Bates error and a Hadden single plated a pair of runs, cutting the Bates lead to 8-5.
Foley (3-2) recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. Then the Bobcats got both runs back in the top of the seventh. Once again, Lindgren got the offense going, this time with another walk. Beal got hit by a pitch and after Lindgren stole third, Arend drove him in with a sacrifice fly. White singled home Beal and Bates led 10-5.
Foley blanked the Bulldogs in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side in order with a pair of strikeouts, giving him four for the day.
Junior Will Slayne (Dedham, Mass.) tossed a scoreless eighth for the Bobcats. And after Bates did not score in the top of the ninth, the umpires called the game due to darkness. The contest lasted three hours and 11 minutes.
The Bulldogs took a brief 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a Hadden RBI double. Bates tied the game in the top of the second. Torres doubled, advanced to third on a ground ball and scored when junior Kyle Carter (Plantation, Fla.) reached on a fielder's choice.
Beal went 3-4 with a run scored, a stolen base and a walk for Bates. White finished 2-3 with two runs scored, an RBI and two walks. Torres doubled and walked and Lindgren went 1-3 with three runs scored, two stolen bases and two walks.
Hadden paced the Bulldogs at the plate, going 3-4 with a double, two RBIs and a walk.
The Bobcats are back in action Thursday when they host Husson at 3:30pm.