April 20, 2013
Baseball Takes Two From Newbury on Phillips' Walk-Off
LEICESTER, Mass. – Senior second baseman Austin Phillips (Thomson, Ga.) hit a walk-off single to deep left as host Becker College defeated visiting Newbury College in a wild game two 8-7 victory in NECC baseball action on Saturday afternoon at Rochdale Field. Earlier, Becker earned a 5-2 win in the first game. The Hawks of Becker are now 7-22 and 5-9 in conference games while the Nighthawks of Newbury fall to 8-24 and 2-15 in the NECC.
In the first game, Becker struck early with an RBI single from junior shortstop Mike Marcello (West Haven, Conn.) in the bottom of the first as the Hawks took a 1-0 lead. The hit gave Marcello 100 hits for his career. The Nighthawks answered in the top of the second with an RBI single to center from junior centerfielder Travis Wade (Portland, Maine), tying it at 1-1. Becker senior third baseman Tony D'Addio (West Haven, Conn.) struck next in the bottom of the second with a two-RBI single to center, and the Hawks were back in front, 3-1. Becker added two more in the bottom of the fourth, as senior left fielder Eric Lajoie (Oakham, Mass.) scored from third on a wild pitch and Marcello followed up with a another RBI base hit, as the Hawks took a 5-1 lead. In the top of the fifth, the Nighthawks posted four straight singles to lead off the inning, with an RBI single to sophomore second baseman Michael Perillo (Mansfield, Mass.). But the Becker defense stiffened, and the Hawks escaped without any further damage, still holding a three run lead. That was all Becker would need, winning by the 5-2 final.
Becker junior pitcher Tony Cantalupo (DePere, Wisc.) went seven innings, tallying five strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. Newbury sophomore pitcher Cameron D'Agostino (Salisbury, Mass.) went four innings with three strikeouts in the loss. Junior first baseman C.J. Flanders (Londonderry, N.H.) went two-for-three with a stolen base for the Hawks while D'Agostino went two-for-three with a run.
The Nighthawks wasted no time taking the lead in game two, with junior leftfielder Michael Dwyer (Hamden, Conn.) scoring off a wild pitch and freshman right fielder Mack Flynn (Windham, N.H.) ripping an RBI single to right to give Newbury the 2-0 lead out of the gate in the top of the first. The Hawks got one of those back in the bottom of the first when Marcello crushed a double to straightaway center, driving in senior center fielder Todd Tompkins (West Haven, Conn.). In the top of the second, the Nighthawks loaded the bases with one out when Dwyer crush a three-RBI double to deep center. Dwyer scored on the very next at bat courtesy of a base hit from freshman third baseman Ryan Zahornasky (Shelton, Conn.), and Newbury led 6-1. In the bottom of the second, Becker loaded the bases with one out when Thompkins got an RBI single to drop into centerfield, cutting the deficit to four runs with the bases still loaded. But Newbury turned a double-play to get out of the inning with the score 6-2. That remained the score going into the bottom of the third with two outs and a runner on third when Flanders give it his all to beat out a throw to first off a grounder, resulting in an RBI single and another run for Becker.
Still down three runs in bottom of the fourth, D'Addio hit a huge two-out RBI double to right field for Becker, while Marcello walked on the very next at-bat. That set up senior right fielder Tom Natoli (Suffern, N.Y.), who doubled to left to drive home two runs, tying the game at 6-6. Newbury loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, but Flanders made a diving catch on a line drive for the third out, and the teams remain tied. In the bottom of the sixth, Lajoie gave the Hawks their first lead of the game, scoring on a sacrifice fly and throwing error as the Hawks went up 7-6. Down to their last three outs in the seventh, the Nighthawks refused to go quietly, taking advantage of Becker miscues when Perillo hit an RBI sacrifice fly, tying the game at 7-7. In the bottom of the inning, the Hawks put runners at second and third with one out after a successful sacrifice bunt by Flanders. That set the stage for Phillips' heroics, as junior pinch runner Mike Smith (Warner, N.H.) crossed home plate and the Becker dugout erupted.
Becker senior relief pitcher Ben Keough (Attleboro, Mass.) earned his first career win, recording all three outs in the seventh. Freshman pitcher Chris O'Rourke (Mendon, Mass.) was stellar in relief, going four innings and striking out five and not allowing a Newbury run. Natoli went three-for-four with two RBI. For Newbury, Sophomore starting pitcher Danny Lumb (Stoneham, Mass.) struck out three in five and one-third innings, while Lyndon Brundige (Rockland, Mass.) took the loss in relief. Dwyer and Flynn both went three-for-four at the plate.
Both teams will wrap up their season series on Sunday at Newbury in a 12:00 p.m. game.
