NORTHBORO, Mass. – The Nichols Bison tallied five runs on five hits and one Lancer error in the bottom of the eighth inning to surpass the Lancers of Worcester State for a 10-7 win in a Saturday afternoon matchup at the New England Baseball Complex.
THE BASICS
March 31, 2018
New England Baseball Complex
Score: Nichols 10, Worcester State 7
Records: Nichols (6-11) | Worcester State (4-14)
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Mike Ferrara's (Easton, Mass.) single up the middle in the top of the first inning was the lone hit for both teams until the top of the third when Worcester State took a 4-0 lead on an RBI single from Ferrara and a 3-run home run from Kevin Larkin (Rocky Hill, Conn.).
Nichols remained hitless against Worcester State's starting pitcher, Josh Boucher (Auburn, Mass.) until the bottom of the fourth inning when Nick Roy (Middletown, Conn.) and Cam Cook (Phoenixville, Pa.) reached base on singles. Kyle Bouchard (Fall River, Mass.) hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to plate Roy for the first Bison run.
The Lancers extended their lead to six (7-1) in the top of the fifth inning when Ferrara smacked a 3-run homer.
Nichols then held the Lancers scoreless in the remaining four innings and tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fifth, one run in the sixth, and one in the seventh before a huge eighth inning which gave the Bison the win.
In the eighth inning, Chris Anderson (Naugatuck, Conn.) hit a 2-run home run with one out on the board. Then, with two outs, Shay Souza (Mashpee, Mass.) registered an RBI on a single through the right side and Nathaniel Cormier (Sandisfield, Mass.) sent two additional runs home on a single up the middle for the 10-7 lead.
Nichols' closing pitcher Matthew Stewart (Kinnelon, N.J.) shutout the Lancers in the top of nine for the win,
BY THE BOOK
- Nichols' Roy batted 4-for-5 with a double, two runs and an RBI.
- Anderson registered two hits (double and home run), two runs, and two RBI for the Bison.
- Bouchard, Souza, and Cormier also tacked on two RBI for Nichols in the win.
- Nichols' Brodie Altiere (North Adams, Mass.) took the win on the mound in 1/3 innings pitched, while Stewart closed out the ninth with no runs for the save.
- Worcester State's starting pitcher, Boucher, pitched five innings and allowed three runs (one unearned) on five hits. Relief pitcher, Sean Mahan (Woburn, Mass.) was tabbed the loss as he allowed four runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings pitched.
- The Lancers' Ferrara led the offense as he batted 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs and four RBI.
- Jake Breton (Wilbraham, Mass.) also registered three hits for the Blue and Gold.
UP NEXT
Worcester State travel to UMass Boston on Tuesday (Apr. 3) and will host the Beacons in a 3 p.m. game on Thursday (Apr. 5) before heading to Bridgewater State on Saturday for a conference doubleheader.
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