BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott baseball team returned to North Field for the first time since before Spring Break and earned a 5-1 victory over visiting Worcester St. behind a complete-game, three-hitter from sophomore right-hander Owen Bautze (Sudbury, Mass.). Bautze earned the win (1-1) on a complete-game, three-hitter (95 pitches), as he issued zero walks and had a game-high/career-high eight strikeouts.
Worcester St. junior RHP starter Zach Zona (Auburn, Mass.) suffered the loss (1-2) on 7 1/3 innings pitched, as he allowed five runs (all earned) on seven hits, one walk and seven punchouts.
The game was scoreless through the first three and half innings until freshman first baseman Chris Seidl (Dracut, Mass.) sent a ball sailing over the left field fence for his first career homer, plating senior right fielder Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn.) to give the hosts a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Endicott tacked on another run in the fifth as sophomore second baseman Michael DeDonato (Chelmsford, Mass.) doubled to right center to score senior shortstop Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.).
Freshman first baseball George Bielizna (Danbury, Conn.) was hit by a pitch in the seventh and advanced to second on a passed ball before junior left fielder Jake Ryan's (Northbride, Mass.) double to left center brought home Bielizna (unearned) for the Lancer's lone run of the game.
The Gulls added two insurance runs in the eight as DeDonato hammered a solo shot to left center to lead off the inning and junior third baseman Mike Kochiss (Fairfield, Conn.) had an RBI single scoring freshman pinch runner Matt Bald (De Pere, Wisc.) for the host's final run of the afternoon.
Endicott's DeDonato finished his night going 2-for-4 with two extra-base hits (two RBI) and one run scored out of the leadoff spot in the lineup as he leads the team with four multi-hit games this season. Seidl extended his hitting streak to seven straight games, good for the longest on the team this season.
Worcester State's Ryan went 1-for-4 in the No. 5 slot for the Lancers and had the team's only extra-base hit (double) and one RBI. Zona struck out seven before he was relieved by junior righty Neil Begley (Springfield, Mass.) in the eighth. Begley gave up two hits in 2/3 innings pitched.
Endicott (5-3) returns to action on Thursday, March 24 as the Gulls welcome Framingham St. to North Field for a non-conference game at 3:30 p.m. Worcester St. (6-6) travels to face UMass Boston on Thursday, March 24 at 6:00 p.m.
Release Courtesy of Endicott Sports Information