Baseball Drops Doubleheader in Season Opener

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Anna Maria College baseball team opened the 2017 season on Saturday with a doubleheader against Lakeland College. Lakeland was victorious in both outings, posting a 3-1 win in game one and a 12-6 victory in game two. The doubleheader marked the season openers for both teams.

GAME ONE

The Muskies opened up scoring in the bottom of the first as Drew Richard was the first player to cross home plate in the season opener following an RBI from Kenny Pekarek.

The AMCATS were able to tie it up in the top of the second as sophomore Connor Lavin (Leicester, Mass.) singled to center field to get things started for Anna Maria at the plate. Nate Gray (Kingston, N.Y.) was able to get on base with a single to right field which put Lavin in scoring position at second. Trevor Brown (Gardner, Mass.) earned the first RBI for the AMCATS with a single to center field that scored Lavin from second base.

Pekarek earned another RBI in the bottom of the third and scored on a wild pitch at the end of the sixth inning to give the Muskies the final 3-1 victory.

Tanner Jakola pitched a complete game, scattering three hits, three walks and three runs (three earned) over six complete innings. He struck out one batter.

The AMCATS posted eight hits at the plate, as Lavin and Gray both recorded a hit while Jonathan Roy (Worcester, Mass.),  Matt Elliot (Attleboro, Mass.) and Trevor Brown each recorded two hits.

Lakeland totaled three hits in game one. Pekarek, Travis Regalado and Connor Hilburn each recorded one hit. Pekarek notched two RBIs to lead the Muskies to victory in game one.

GAME TWO

Anna Maria took an early 3-1 lead at the end of the first inning as Camden Brown (Gardner, Mass.) doubled to score James Marcello (Mansfield, Mass.) and an error by the Muskie's third baseman scored Camden Brown. Shawn Callahan recorded a hit and an RBI, scoring Lavin from second base to end the inning with the AMCATS leading 3-1.

Anna Maria pulled even farther ahead in the bottom of the second after a triple from Camden Brown scored Marcello (4-1) and a sacrifice fly from Matthew Leahey (Rutland, Mass.) put the AMCATS up 5-1. The bottom of the third inning would end scoring for the AMCATS as they were able to tally one more run (6-2).

The Muskies racked up eight runs in the top of the fourth inning to go ahead 10-6. They notched two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to take the final 12-6 victory over the AMCATS.

At the plate, the AMCATS combined for eight hits. Camden Brown, Callahan and freshman Jacob Zamora (Alachua, Fla.) all went two-for-three at the plate to lead the AMCATS. Camden Brown recorded a team high two RBIs.

Leahey pitched all seven innings for Anna Maria and scattered 15 hits and 12 runs (11 earned). He walked seven batter and struck out four.

Medaille totaled 15 hits, led by Regalado with four hits and an RBI. Jody Harrison notched three hits and two RBIs in the victory for Lakeland.