Gulls Open CCC Schedule with Sweep of Roger Williams

BRISTOL, R.I. – Endicott opened their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) baseball schedule on Monday afternoon by sweeping a double-header at Roger Williams University. The Gulls won the first of two seven-inning games in an extra frame, 3-1 and then took the nightcap 8-4 to improve to 10-5 overall on the year. The Hawks saw both their overall (10-10) and conference (2-2) records even up.  

Game 1: Endicott 3, Roger Williams 1

Tyler Hithcock (Abington, Mass.) hurled a complete game, allowing just one earned run on six hits and improved to 3-0 on the season as the Gulls won in extra innings on hits by Harry Oringer (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Eric Lemke (Southington, Conn.).

Hitchcock and Hawks starter Sean Boyle (Arlington, Mass.) were locked in a pitchers' duel, with both hurlers tossing scoreless games through the third.

Endicott would mount the first run of the game, with Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.) reaching on an error and later coming around on an RBI pinch-hit single by freshman Steve Morganelli (Milford, Mass.).

The Hawks tied the game in the fifth, with Mike Pascarella (Milford, Conn.) beating out an infield hit to the pitcher, allowing Mike Thomas (Plainville, Conn.) to score from third with the bases loaded.

Still tied after seven innings, the game went to the eighth, where Endicott regained the lead thanks to an RBI double from Oringer which scored center fielder Tad Gold (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.), and a pinch-hit RBI single by Lemke. Hitchcock closed out the bottom of the eighth with a 1-2-3 outing for the win.

The Hawks had nearly come away with the victory in the bottom of the seventh with Thomas leading off the inning with a single, then moving to second on a sac bunt by Tyler Campo (Wrentham, Mass.). Matt Swensen (Charlton, Mass.) would then move Thomas over to third with a deep fly ball out to center. Pascarella nearly came through with the game-winning hit, but a good backhanded stop by Oringer at second prevented the run from coming in.

Oringer finished 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI and Endicott freshman Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass.) was 1-for-3.

Boyle suffered his first loss of the season, giving up two runs in seven innings of work with seven strikeouts. Thomas finished 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, while Pascarella was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Game 2: Endicott 8, Roger Williams 4

The Gulls brought in three runs to start the game, with Gold stealing home on a successful double steal, followed by a Colin Sitarz (West Hartford, Conn.) RBI single and a sac fly by EJ Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

The Hawks grabbed one of the runs back in the bottom of the first, with Pascarella coming in on an overthrown ball while stealing third base. However, Endicott tacked on four more runs in the third inning, two of which came on a single by Oringer, who, like Gold, had two hits, drove in two runs and scored a run.

The Gulls added one more in the fifth on a Gold single through the right side, but the Hawks mounted a rally in the bottom of the inning. RWU put three runs on the board, with John Oppenhimer (Westport, Conn.) smacking an RBI single and Reid Nelson (Wallingford, Conn.) coming through with a two-run double. However, those would be the last runs of the game as Endicott held on for the win.

Sophomore Zac Poland (Essex Junction, Vt.) picked up the win, going five innings with six strikeouts while allowing four runs and improving to 2-0 on the year. Senior Kevin Dupras (Belchertown, Mass.) closed the game with two scoreless innings in relief.

Roger Williams' Dan Julian (Stratford, Conn.) suffered the loss, giving up six runs in 2.2 innings. Pascarella finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Thomas went 2-for-3 with a run.

Freshman shortstop Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.) scored twice for the Gulls, while junior right fielder Conor Ressel  (Rockport, Mass.) was on base twice and also crossed the plate for the Blue and Green.

Unlike the first game, when Endicott had a 7-6 advantage in hits, the Hawks outhit the Gulls 8-7 in a losing effort in game number two.

The Gulls will return home for a game Tuesday afternoon against Southern Maine, starting at 3:30 pm on North Field.

Roger Williams is off until Thursday, when they play host to Babson College.