Fitchburg State Topped by Lions, 10-3
QUINCY, Mass.- Eastern Nazarene College defeated Fitchburg State University, 10-3, in a non-conference baseball doubleheader on Wednesday night.
The Lions improve to 11-18 on the season with the result while the Falcons drop to 11-14 overall.
The home team plated four runs in the bottom of the first inning to establish a 4-0 lead. Wagner scored from third as Fiorentino reached on an error. Wynne drove in Fiorentino from third base with a sacrifice fly. Pat Yee scored from second on a double to deep left field off the bat of Rivera before Luis Gonzalez capped off the scoring with an RBI single up the middle to plate Rivera.
The guests got on the scoreboard in the top of the second, cutting the deficit to 4-1. Clayton Beaulieu crossed the plate on a two-out single to right-center by Roel Fernandez.
Eastern Nazarene tacked on three runs in the home half of the frame to widen the gap to 7-1. Wagner scored his second run of the night as Jose Arebalo reached on a throwing error. Fiorentino followed with a two-run homer to right field for his first of the season.
Fitchburg State responded with two scores in the third to pull to within four, 7-3. Steven Drury Jr. launched a two-run home run to centerfield to drive in Donald Geloso.
The Lions added a run in the bottom of the third to gain a five-run advantage, 8-3. Rivera crossed the dish for the second time in the game on a single by Justin Wagner.
The hosts pushed one runner across the plate in the fourth to extend their lead to 9-3. Rocco Martinelli dashed around the bases and slid into home as Wynne flared a double down the right field line.
The two teams battled through a steady rainfall from the fifth inning on which caused a 15-minute delay prior to the start of the sixth frame.
Eastern Nazarene reached double digits with a score in the sixth inning. Wagner scampered home for the third time on the evening as Fiorentino picked up his fourth RBI of the game with a grounder to the right side of the infield.
Tom Gammell suffered the loss for the Green & Gold, throwing three innings with three earned runs and three strikeouts.
In his first start of the year, rookie Rob Dukes pitched seven innings and racked up six strikeouts while allowing two earned runs and one walk for Eastern Nazarene.
Fitchburg State will travel to Salem State on Saturday, April 25 in a MASCAC doubleheader. Eastern Nazarene will battle Wentworth Institute of Technology in a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader at Bradley Field April 24.