QUINCY, Mass.- In their final home contest of the 2013 campaign, the Eastern Nazarene baseball team suffered a 10-3 setback to Lesley Tuesday afternoon at a rain-soaked Adams Field. The loss drops the Lions to 12-22 on the season while the Lynx improve to 13-13 with the result.
David Manning (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) led the home team with four base hits on the day and two RBIs while also scoring one run. Michael Chiaradio Jr. (Teaneck, N.J.) and Jake Koch (Dayton, Nev.) each picked up one RBI while Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, N.J.), Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Pat Yee (Lynnfield, Mass.) all crossed the plate.
Eastern Nazarene got on the board in the home half of the first inning. With two outs, Berroa laid down a bunt single before stealing second base. Manning hooked a single down the right field line to drive in Berroa to give the hosts a 1-0 edge.
Lesley plated four runs in the third to claim a 4-1 advantage. Kevin Hopwood (Winter Haven, Fla.) got the rally started when poked a single into left field with the bases loaded to score sophomore catcher, Joe Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.), from third. Sophomore second baseman Adam Ciampi (Westford, Mass.) added the second run of the inning when he scampered home on a wild pitch before classmate John Gosnell (Toronto, Canada) followed with a two-run base knock to drive in Hopwood and junior outfielder Tyler Plourd (Canton, Conn.).
The Lions cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the third when Wagner drew a lead-off walk to start the inning and advanced to third on a wild pitch after swiping second. With one away, Chiaradio grounded out to the second baseman to allow Jeremy Wagner to trot home.
The Lynx tacked on four more runs in the fourth inning to stretch their lead to 8-2. Centerfielder Robert Parson (Commack, N.Y.) singled to drive in Casey Blanchard (Bernardston, Mass.) and Muratore came around to score on a fielder's choice by Ciampi. Plourd and Hopwood followed with back-to-back RBI singles to left field to plate Ryan McQuade (Rochester, N.H.) and Ciampi.
Eastern Nazarene got a run back in the fourth to slice the margin to 8-3. Manning raked his second single of the game down the right field line to lead off the frame. After advancing to third on a single by Max Pugh (San Diego, Calif.), Manning crossed the plate as Koch reached base on a fielder's choice with one out.
The visitors added a pair of unearned runs in the seventh to grab a 10-3 lead. Jeff Gonzalez motored home on a throwing error by the Lions' second baseman. McQuade singled up the middle to drive in Lesley's final run of the afternoon.
Doug English (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) pitched three-plus innings and struck out three batters. Nathan Russell (San Diego, Calif.) worked the remainder of the game on the mound, fanning one batter while allowing just one earned run in four innings.
Lynx starter Matt Gianoni (Berlin, Conn.) picked up his first win of the season as he went the distance, scattering five hits and striking out seven.
Game two between the two squads was called in the top of the second inning with Eastern Nazarene holding a 1-0 lead due to rain water accumulating on the field.