OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine – Lesley University swept a non-conference doubleheader with University of Maine Presque Isle this afternoon at the historic Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. The Lynx slugged out 17 hits in a 9-1 win in the opener before staving off an Owls comeback attempt to take game two 7-4.
The pair of victories pushes the Lynx to 13-21 on the season while the Owls end their season at 6-21.
Lesley will conclude their regular season when they return to New England Collegiate Conference play on Monday against Daniel Webster College. That game will be played at 7:00p at the New England Collegiate Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass.
Game One: Lesley 9, UMPI 1
After the Owls pushed across one run in the bottom of the first, the Lynx answered in the next half inning as they plated four runs on five hits. Senior Ray Cohen (Coventry, Conn.) knocked in the first run with a bases-loaded ground out before classmate Adam Ciampi (Westford, Mass.) followed with a ground out that knocked in junior Casey Blanchard (Bernardston, Mass.). With two outs in the inning, senior Rob Parson (Commack, N.Y.) and junior Gustavo Polidor (Caracas, Venezuela) connected for back-to-back RBI singles to put the Lynx up 4-1.
Cohen came to the plate with the bases full of Lynx once again in the top of the third and drove his second of three RBI on the day with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Lesley would add their second run of the inning on an errant throw by the catcher as the visitors extended their lead to 6-1.
The Lynx tacked on three more in the top of the seventh as sophomore Mike Slaby (Foxboro, Mass.) drove an RBI double to left before senior Kevin Hopwood (Winter Haven, Fla.) followed one batter later with an RBI single to center. Cohen capped the scoring as he drove in his third run of the game with a fielder's choice.
Parson, Slaby, and Blanchard led the Lynx offensive attack as they each recorded three hits while Hersey, Hopwood, and Ciampi finished with two apiece.
Owls junior Tommy Collins led the way for the hosts, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a stolen base.
Freshman Bryan Hildebrand (Milford, Mass.) earned the first win of his collegiate career going five innings while allowing seven hits, one run (unearned), two walks, and striking out two.
Freshman Matt Curry suffered the loss for UMPI as he went the distance, giving up nine runs (seven earned) on 17 hits while striking out a pair.
Game two: Lesley 7, UMPI 4
The Lesley bats stayed hot in game two as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings.
After taking a 1-0 lead after the first, senior Joe Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) and Hopwood each reached with singles to lead off the second. Both moved into scoring position following a failed pickoff attempt before Muratore scored on a ground out by Ciampi.
Parson followed Ciampi with a run-scoring single before Polidor reached on an Owl miscue. Parson crossed the plate on a successful double steal before Slaby capped the scoring in the inning when he roped a double down the left field line to score Polidor as the Lynx jumped ahead 5-0.
Lesley would add to more in the third to extend their lead to 7-0 before UMPI would finally get their offense going in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Mitch Thayer drew a leadoff walk while Curry singled and Saul Nunez was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. After an infield fly accounted for the first out of the inning, Jesus Garcia delivered a two-run single to right field to plate Curry and Thayer.
Later in the inning, Matt Cauchon sent a bases-loaded single through the left side of the infield to knock in Garcia and Nunez as the Owls cut the deficit to 7-4.
UMPI threatened once again in the bottom of the sixth as they had a pair of runners reach, but Blanchard escaped the jam with a slow tapper in front of the plate to keep the Owls scoreless in the inning.
Parson finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI, and three steals while Polidor and Slaby each picked up a pair of hits for the Lynx.
Sophomore Koby Mitchell (Fall River, Mass.), Lesley's all-time leader in pitching appearances, earned the win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. Lynx starter Jeff Heinz (Portsmouth, N.H.), who closed out game one, pitched three innings to start game two, allowing just one hit while striking out one.