Pair of Complete Games Spark Endicott to CCC Doubleheader Sweep

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott got outstanding pitching performances from their two starting pitchers and collected 8-2 and 2-0 victories over Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opponents Curry College on Sunday afternoon at North Field.

The Gulls improved to 23-11 on the year and are now 13-1 in the CCC, after sweeping their two weekend sets. Curry falls to 6-18-2, and dips to 4-8 in the conference as it battles for positioning in the CCC table.

Game 1: Endicott 8, Curry 2

Senior Tyler Hitchcock (Abington, Mass.) continued his strong spring, improving to 6-0 on the year with a complete game effort in which he struck out six batters and allowed just two runs on three hits, while not walking any batters.

The Gulls pounded sixteen hits, including 3-for-4 days from second baseman Harry Oringer (Dartmouth, Mass.) and third baseman Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn.).

Right fielder Conor Ressel (Rockport, Mass.) was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and opened the bottom of the first inning with a single up the middle. First baseman Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.) brought him in with a double to deep center field as the Gulls jumped out to a 1-0 lead.

Tad Gold (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.) hit his first home-run of the year, and the team's fourth, a laser shot to right to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Oringer made it a three-run frame for the home team with a single through the ride side that plated two more Endicott runs.

Hitchcock's only two mistakes were massive solo home runs hit by Colonels right fielder Sam Barron (Hadley, Mass.) and catcher Matt Rodriguez (Quincy, Mass.).

The Gulls grabbed two more runs in each of the final two innings. Pinch hitter Taylor English (Barre, Vt.) knocked in Gold and Paola in the fifth with a single to right field. Holmgren capped off a 2-for-4 day with a run and two RBIs by singling in Oringer in the sixth and then scoring when Paola found the right side hole for his third hit of the day.

Sophomore righty Thomas Fitzpatrick (S. Boston, Mass.) threw a six-inning complete game for Curry, striking out three and walking one Gull. Fitzpatrick fell to 3-3 on the season, allowing all eight earned runs.

Shortstop Derek Pizarro (Cam bridge, Mass.) had the other hit for the Colonels, a single in the top of the fifth.

Game 2: Endicott 2, Curry 0

Graduate student Mike Nich (Orange, Conn.) collected the 22^nd win of his Endicott career and tossed his 14^th complete game, both of which tied career records in Endicott baseball history. Nich struck out seven batters, allowed three hits and no walks, and threw just 74 pitches, 59 of them for strikes.

The Gulls struck for their only two runs in the third inning, when shortstop Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.) hit a one-out single up the middle. Hall stole second and came in to score on a play that started with a single by Holmgren but involved a throwing error by Curry second baseman Brandon Lewis (Barrington, R.I.).

Colin Sitarz (W. Hartford, Conn.) celebrated his birthday with a single to center fielder that scored Oringer, who had walked in the frame. Sitarz was also one of four Gulls to steal a base in the game two victory.

Endicott had ten hits in the game, and could have had more runs as they left nine runners on base. Holmgren, EJ Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Hall each had two hits in the game for the Gulls.

Colonel senior Zach Walker (Stamford, Conn.) saw his record drop to 1-2 on the year despite a complete game outing himself in which he allowed just one earned run on ten hits and two walks with two K's.

Pizarro had another single for the Colonels, as did first baseman Tanner Givens (Hamden, Conn.) and left fielder Matt Moore (Clearwater, Kan.).

Endicott's next game will be on Thursday, April 25^th when they host Westfield State in a non-conference game at 4:00 pm.

Curry will be back at it on Monday afternoon when they host CCC foes Salve Regina in a double-header starting at 2:00 pm.