BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Lesley University baseball team picked up a pair of victories over defending New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Champion Daniel Webster College this afternoon in a doubleheader at Alumni Park on the campus of Bridgewater State University. The Lynx used a walk-off single from Tyler Plourd (Canton, Conn.) in the eighth inning to capture a 4-3 win in game one before riding a complete-game effort from John Gosnell (Toronto, Ont.) to seal a 7-2 victory in the nightcap.
The Lynx, winners of three in a row, improve to 4-5 on the year and 4-2 in conference play while the Eagles fall to 4-11 overall and 1-4 in the NECC.
Game One: Lesley 4, Daniel Webster 3
The Eagles opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning as back-to-back errors in the Lesley infield put the first two batters of the game on base. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with one out, senior Erik Bourdeau (Alton Bay, N.H.) hit a sacrifice-fly to right field, plating junior Dan Ierardi (Dunstable, Mass.) for the game's first run.
The Lynx threatened in the bottom of the second as they loaded the bases with one out, but DWC starter Costa Tingas (Lowell, Mass.) got out of the jam with a pair of ground outs to end the inning unscathed.
After leaving another pair of runners on base in the bottom of the third, the Lynx finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth. Junior catcher Joe Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) started the rally with a one-out double to right field before coming across on a double by classmate Ryan McQuade (Rochester, N.H.). After a bunt single by fellow junior Robert Parson (Commack, N.Y.), McQuade crossed the plate on a wild pitch that allowed Parson to move to second. One batter later, Parson scored Lesley's third run of the game when Plourd sent a single to left.
After the Eagles cut the deficit to one on an RBI single by junior Kyle Brigham (Hudson, N.H.) in the fifth inning, the visitors knotted things up at 3-3 in the top of the sixth. A lead-off single by senior Manny Cabral (Tewksbury, Mass.) followed by a pair of one-out walks loaded the bases for the Eagles. Lesley reliever Ray Cohen (Coventry, Conn.) recorded a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but could not escape the inning without any damage as Ierardi tied the game with an RBI single. That would be all the Eagles would get as Cohen stranded the bases loaded, forcing a ground out to end the inning.
The Lynx nearly ended things in the bottom of the seventh as Plourd and senior Kevin Hopwood (Winter Haven, Fla.) led off the inning with a walk and a single, respectively, before moving into scoring position on a sacrifice-bunt by freshman Mike Slaby (Foxboro, Mass.). Junior David Hersey (Wolfeboro, N.H.) drew a walk to load the bases, but DWC reliever Mike Patane (Salem, N.H.) recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.
After stranding two DWC runners in the top of the eighth, the Lynx walked-off in the bottom of the inning. McQuade led off the inning with a walk, before advancing to third base with two outs following a sacrifice-bunt and ground out. Plourd came through in the clutch, picking up his second hit and second RBI of the game propelling the Lynx to the 4-3 walk-off win.
Cohen earned his first win of the season in three innings of relief, yielding two hits, two walks, striking out five. Lesley starter Ryan Genua (Prospect, Conn.) pitched five innings, allowing three runs (two earned), four hits, while striking out three batters.
Tingas hurled six innings for the Eagles, being charged with three runs, seven hits, and striking out seven.
Game Two: Lesley 7, Daniel Webster 2
Gosnell went the distance for the Lynx in game two, allowing eight hits, two runs, while walking just one to pick up his first win of the season.
After the teams a run in the second, the Lynx took control with a five-run third inning to break the 1-1 tie. Slaby started the scoring for the hosts with an RBI single before Hersey doubled home a pair of runs to give the Lynx a 4-1 edge. Lesley wasn't done as Genua and junior Adam Ciampi (Westford, Mass.) hit consecutive RBI singles to push the advantage to 6-1.
DWC answered with one in the top of the fourth when freshman Fernando Osario (Manchester, N.H.) plated junior Brandon Stevens (Manchester, N.H.) with an RBI double to left, but Gosnell stifled the Eagle bats from there, allowing just two hits over the final three innings.
Genua led the Lynx at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI while Slaby also finished with two hits, two RBI, and a run scored.
Osario accounted for both RBI for DWC, finishing the game 2-for-3 with a double. Brigham and Bourdeau also picked up a pair of hits in the loss.
The teams will play the third game of the series tomorrow in Nashua, N.H. First pitch is set for 1:00p.