Baseball Splits with Newbury

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass.—The Anna Maria College baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with the Nighthawks of Newbury College on Sunday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex. The AMCATS posted a 3-2 win in game one before falling 8-1 in game two.

With today's results, the AMCATS improve to 4-6 overall, while Newbury is now 3-8.

Anna Maria 3, Newbury 2

In the opener, the AMCATS broke open a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh as lead-off batter sophomore Corey McNair (Shrewsbury, Mass.) singled and capitalized on an error by Newbury's right fielder, as he managed took three bases to score the unearned run.

The AMCATS held a 2-0 lead for a majority of the game, as they opened the game with three-straight hits with one out. Freshmen Nate Gray (Kingston, N.Y.) and Nate Frederick (Worcester, Mass.) both singled and were then driven-in on a two-RBI double by senior David Julian (Sterling, Mass.).

Newbury didn't have an answer until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Billy Stephen scored on a sacrifice-fly by C.J. Ingraham, and Matthew Peluso hit a solo homerun.

AMCAT pitcher Matthew Leahey (Rutland, Mass.) earned his second win of the season, throwing a complete-game and giving up just two hits and three walks while striking out seven batters.

Julian led Anna Maria at the plate with two hits and two RBI in three at-bats.

Newbury pitcher Cameron D'Agostino also threw a complete-game and scatted six AMCAT hits and a walk while striking out four.

Newbury 8, Anna Maria 1

The Nighthawks produced an eight-run fifth-inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit en route to the win in the nightcap.

Due to an AMCAT error that would have been the second out, seven of the eight runs were unearned.  However, the Nighthawks did put together five hits in the inning, including a three-RBI triple by Craig Barnett.

Anna Maria had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, when freshman Jourdan Wydra (Bristol, Conn.), classmate Liam Pickett (Oxford, Mass.), and sophomore Joseph Fahey (Auburn, Mass.) hit three-straight singles to load the bases, setting up Camden Frederick (Worcester, Mass.) for the RBI single. The AMCATS had the opportunity for more runs, as back-to-back outs ended the inning with three runners left on base.

The AMCATS held an 8-6 advantage in hits in the game, led by Pickett and Fahey with two apiece. Steven Broy finished with two hits for the Nighthawks.

Daniel Lumb earned the win on the mound for Newbury, giving up seven hits, two walks, and an earned run while striking out five in six innings of work. Lyndon Brundige pitched the seventh inning, where he gave up one hit and one walk.

Sophomore Andrew Sawyer (Dracut, Mass.) took the loss for Anna Maria, scattering four hits and one earned run while striking out three in 4.2 innings of work. Freshman Tanner Jakola (Leominster, Mass.) faced four batters in the fifth inning and gave up two hits and a walk, while sophomore Zach Parker (Manchester, N.H.) pitched the last 1.1 innings.

The AMCATS will be back in action on Tuesday, when they travel to take on Fitchburg State in a nine-inning game beginning at 3:30 p.m.