HENNIKER, N.H. - The New England College Baseball team excelled Friday afternoon, as the Pilgrims swept Lesley University, 7-0, 14-6, in New England Collegiate Conference action, at Laurie Cox Memorial Field.

THE BASICS
Score:  New England College 7, Lesley University 0 (Game One)
New England College 14, Lesley University 6 (Game Two)

Records: Pilgrims (9-11, 7-1 NECC) | Lynx (2-12, 2-12 NECC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One – New England College 7, Lesley University 0
New England College's started the scoring in the bottom of the second, as Tyler Gendron led off the inning with a solo shot to centerfield. With two outs in the second, the Pilgrims added to their lead, as BJ Minarcin doubled home a pair of runs. Minarcin scored later in the inning, as he crossed on a passed ball, right before Garrett Langis drove in Michael Ciccotelli with a double down the left-field line, making it 5-0 NEC.

The Pilgrims saw their lead grow in the bottom of the fourth, as Ciccotelli doubled home Minarcin, before scoring himself on a Connor Morin single to centerfield.

Shaun Cormier got the win, pitching 6.0 innings, with seven strikeouts, and scattering five singles. Shawn Sears pitched the seventh, as he allowed just one hit and struck out one.

Game Two –New England College 14, Lesley University 6
Lesley got on the board first in game two, as Giovanni Torres hit a leadoff solo homerun in the top of the first. The Pilgrims responded in the bottom half of the first, as Gendron drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. NEC took the lead as Devin Bedell beat out an infield single to short, with Langis scoring on the play. The Pilgrims padded their lead, as Ciccotelli singled home Patrick Hagerty in the bottom of the second.

In the top of the third, the Lynx were able to plate four two-out runs, to take a 5-3 lead. The Lesley advantage would be short lives, as New England College scored four of their own, as Hagerty drew a bases-loaded walk before Ciccotelli cleared the bases with a double, making it 7-5 NEC. In the fourth inning, the 'Grims added two insurance runs, as JD Normand hit a solo homerun before Devin Parson doubled home another run. After New England College scored four in the fifth and one in the sixth, the Pilgrims went up 14-6 and held off the Lynx to pick up the win.

Joseph Pascucci picked up the win, after throwing 5.2 innings and striking out six. Stephen Dunham pitched 1.1 innings, with four strikeouts.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• New England College hit nine doubles, and 12 extra-base hits on the day.
• 14 runs are the most runs that NEC has scored this year and the most since they plated 26 against Lehman on March 6, 2020.
• In three NECC games for Cormier, he is 2-0 with a save, as he has struck out 18 over 14.0 innings while maintaining a 0.64 ERA.
• The Pilgrims now lead the all-time series 9-6.

UP NEXT
New England College will host Mitchell College next Wednesday at NEC, as the first pitch is at 1:00 p.m.