Scafidi goes eight strong as AMCATS split with Bison

DUDLEY, Mass. (Mar. 30) – Junior Jeff Scafidi (Worcester, Mass.) went the distance during a 5-2 extra inning victory for the Anna Maria College baseball team, as the AMCATS split a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader with Nichols College on Wednesday afternoon in Dudley, Mass. Anna Maria fell to Nichols, 9-0, in the night cap, moving to 9-9 overall and 4-4 in conference play, while the Bison improve to 6-8 overall and 1-3 in TCCC games.

Nichols took the early lead in the first game, using a passed ball and a failed pickoff attempt to set up a two-run single by Chris Nemeskal (Swampscott, Mass.) in the second inning. The AMCATS got one back in the top of the third when Mike Gaurnieri (Wallingford, Conn.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Nichols held onto the lead until the seventh inning when with two outs and Jeff Lander (Gloucester, Mass.) on second, back-to-back singles from Guarnieri and Jim McNamara (Worcester, Mass.)sent the tying run across. The AMCATS turned a double play to end the seventh, sending the game to extra innings where they took advantage of an error and a passed ball to put two runners on before Nichols intentionally walked the leadoff hitter, Michael Galvin (Rutland, Mass.). After a lengthy at bat, Lander drew a walk for the go-ahead run, and Guarnieri capped the scoring with a two-run single to right.

Jeff Scafidi (Worcester, Mass.) earned his first win of the season scattering seven hits while striking out two and walking two. Guarnieri finished the game two-for-four with three RBI, while Scafidi helped his cause with a two-for-four day at the plate.

Senior Mat Whitman (North Plainfield, N.J.) tossed a six-hit shutout to earn the victory in game two. The shutout win marked the first for Whitman, who in his eighth career appearance allowed six hits, fanned two and walked two. He helped his cause with a two-run double in the third inning, and later came around to score to give Nichols a 3-0 lead after three. The Bison tacked on another in the fourth after Chris Bruno (Darien, Conn.) hit a two-out double and was plated on a John Micciche (Holbrook, Mass.)single. Austin Martin (Wakefield, R.I.) hit a two-run blast over the right field fence as part of a five-run fifth for the Bison, also highlighted by an RBI triple from Nick Shaw (Plymouth, Mass.).

Anna Maria had the bases loaded in the second, but Nichols ended the inning with a double play. The AMCATS had runners in scoring position only once more – in the fourth – but Whitman surrendered just two hits through the final three innings to keep the game in check.

Nichols is back in action on Saturday in a home TCCC doubleheader against Curry. Anna Maria hosts Roger Williams Saturday at noon for a TCCC twinbill at Wachusett Regional High School.

Photo Courtesy of David Sheridan for AMC Sports Information

Release Courtesy of Nichols Sports Information