PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Powered by the bat of Sylvain Audet and timely hitting, the New England College Baseball team earns the split their doubleheader against in-state foe Plymouth State Wednesday evening.  

THE BASICS
Score:  Plymouth State 8, New England College 3 (Game One)

New England College 8, Plymouth State 5 (Game Two)
Records: Pilgrims (18-13, 7-3 NECC) | Panthers (13-20, 4-7 LEC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Plymouth State University 8, New England College 3 (Game One)

Connor Morin began the scoring for the Pilgrims as he drove in Devin Parsons on a sacrifice fly to left field, making it 1-0 NEC in the top of the first. After Plymouth State responded with a pair in the bottom of the inning, New England College regained the lead, following RBI from Patrick Hagerty and Michael Ciccotelli.

The Panthers tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth inning, as Bryan McGrath scored on an NEC error. PSU went up 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth, as Griffin Crane doubled to centerfield. Plymouth State would pull away in the bottom of the sixth with four runs in the frame to take game one 8-3.

Stephen Dunham took the loss for NEC, as he struck out four in 5.0 innings and just one earned run.

New England College 8, Plymouth State University 5 (Game Two)

New England College started fast, as Sylvain Audet blasted a one-out grand slam over the right-field fence, making it 4-0 NEC in the top of the first inning. Plymouth State struck for two runs in the bottom of the second, as Luke Sokolski and Alex Rives had back-to-back singles. Tyler Gendron expanded the Pilgrims' advantage in the top of the third inning as he singled down the left-field line, scoring JD Normand on the play.

The Panthers would tie the game in the bottom of the third inning, as they plated three runs in the frame, which was capped off by a Sokolski two-RBI single through the left side of the infield. New England College regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning, as Bryce Worth scored on a failed pickoff attempt before Hagerty crossed the plate on a Connor Morin single up the middle. Cooper Ribaudo added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as he doubled home Sylvain Audet on the play.

Shawn Sears picked up the win for the Pilgrims, as he pitched a perfect fifth inning and struck out two. Corey O'Day recorded his fifth save of the season after striking out two in the bottom of the seventh.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• In April, Sylvain Audet has been on a tear. He is batting .333 with three home runs and 17 RBI.
• O'Day recorded his fifth save of the year, the third-most by a freshman in Division III this year.  
• The Panthers lead the all-time series, 28-7.

UP NEXT

• NEC at Lesley, Saturday, Apr. 30, 12:00 pm.
• PSU at UMass Dartmouth, Saturday, Apr. 30, 12:00 pm.