WORCESTER, MASS. – The New England College baseball team fell short in an offensive battle against Clark University on Wednesday at the Granger Athletic Complex in Worcester, Massachusetts in non-conference action.
THE BASICS
Score: New England College 11, Clark University 15
Records: Pilgrims 5-13 | Cougars 14-7
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After the Pilgrims plated a run in the top of the third, Clark exploded for eight runs on eight hits in the bottom-half of the frame. Michael Soares (Concord, Mass.) came through with the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run home run to deep left field as the Cougars took control early.
- In the top of the fourth, junior infielder Yeri Ramos (Loiza, P.R.) displayed some pop of his own with his first career home run – a two-run shot to deep left field to drive in freshman Jaken Pellerin (Manchester, N.H.).
- Back-to-back walks by graduate infielder Johnny Cannavo (Weymouth, Mass.) and senior outfielder Kyle Dobrie (Mastic, N.Y.) set the table for Pellerin and the freshman delivered the 'Grims' second long ball of the day – this time a three-run shot to pull NEC within two.
- The Cougars would add three runs in the fifth to push their lead back to five. In the top of the sixth, the Pilgrims would get one run back after Cannavo walked and later scored on an RBI single on a hard-hit single to left center field by Pellerin.
- Clark added to their cushion in the bottom of the seventh, capitalizing on three walks with a pair of doubles to increase their lead to 15-7.
- In the eighth, singles by Cannavo and Pellerin and an error by Clark would load the bases for the Pilgrims. Junior catcher Jackson Round (Cayuga, Canada) put the ball in play to score Cannavo and bring a 15-8 score into the ninth inning.
- Another Cougar fielding mistake plus singles by Cannavo and Dobrie would again set the table for Pellerin; With the bases loaded, Pellerin crushed a bases-clearing double to deep left center field to pull the 'Grims within four runs with two outs. Batting after Pellerin, Ramos seemed to extend the game but a questionable call at first base brought a premature end to the four-run game.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Freshman Danny Goodman (Merrick, N.Y.) started and pitched three innings for the Cougars, allowing one run on one hit. Junior Matthew Donahue (Medfield, Mass.) was credited with the win in relief. The Pilgrims countered with nine different pitchers in a true staff day. Between the two teams, 15 pitchers saw action in today's game.
- The Pilgrims got scoreless innings out of starter Colby Rohr (Highland Village, Tex.) and relievers Christopher Chagnon (Portsmouth, R.I.), Liam Bruskewicz (Granite Springs, N.Y.), Nolan Stoney (Bedford, N.H.), and Isaias Nuño (Rialto, Calif.).
- NEC outhit Clark, 14-13.
- Pellerin continued to mash in his freshman season, going 5-for-6 with seven runs batted in and two runs scored. The rookie sits second in the GNAC in batting average and on-base percentage and ranks first in slugging percentage (.765) nearly ninety points ahead of the second highest.
- Cannavo continues to get on-base at an all-conference level; the graduate continues to bat lead-off for the 'Grims and reached base five times, going 3-for-5 with two walks and four runs scored. Cannavo leads the GNAC, at press time, with a .569 on-base percentage.
- Dobrie and freshman infielder Max Francisco (Hudson, N.H.) each scored two runs.
- Freshman outfielder Benoit Beaudoin (Meredith, N.H.) played strong defense all afternoon while patrolling centerfield, leading the team with eight put-outs.
UP NEXT
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