ROCHDALE, Mass. – Becker College fell to Lesley University 17-16 in New England Collegiate Conference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Rochdale Park. The Lynx improve to 11-19 (8-9 NECC) while the Hawks sink to 12-16 (7-6 NECC).
Lesley got the scoring started in the top of the first on an RBI single by Justin Clark (Chino Hills, Calif.).
The Hawks responded in the bottom of the second when Sean Stone (Blackstone, Mass.) drove in two runs with a bases loaded single to put the hosts in front 2-1. Becker would increase their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third on a Niko Bedell (Manorville, N.Y.) single to left field, scoring Matthew Consigli (Whitinsville, Mass.) from second base.
Lesley chased Becker starting pitcher Matt Camara (South Attleboro, Mass.) from the game when they plated six runs in the top of the fourth. After the Lynx registered back-to back singles from Ray Cohen (Coventry, Conn.) and Casey Blanchard (Bernardston, Mass.), Camara uncorked consecutive wild pitches, allowing Cohen to make his way around the bases. An Adam Ciampi (Westford, Mass.) walk put runners on the corners with one out. Robert Parson (Commack, N.Y.) gave Lesley a 4-3 lead with a two-run double to right center. Lesley would once again load the bases. Becker reliever Nicholas Hawrylciw (Amesbury, Mass.) unleashed a pair of wild pitches, increasing the Lesley lead to 6-3.
Gustavo Polidor (Caracas, Venezuela) gave Lesley a 7-3 lead in the top of the fifth with double to centerfield, scoring Robert Parson all the way from first base. In the bottom of the inning, Niko Bedell smacked his fifth homer of the season to cut the Hawks deficit to 8-4.
The Hawks bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth when they scored eight runs on seven hits to take a 12-8 advantage. After back-to-back singles from Nick Harriman (Harrisville, R.I.) and Sullivan Bortner (Palmyra, Pa.), senior Keon Jenkins (Nashua, N.H.) hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield, chasing Lesley starter Koby Mitchell (Fall River, Mass.) from the game. Sean Stone would follow with single to left field to fill the bases with Hawks. A pickoff attempt to first base sailed out of play allowing Bortner to score from third. Trevor Read (Colorado Springs, Colo.) brought the Hawks within a run when he singled to right field, scoring Jenkins. Becker took a 9-8 lead on two-run single to left field off the bat of freshman Kevin Perez (Jersey City, N.J.). Batting for the second time in the inning, Nick Harriman would cap off the eight run outburst with a bases clearing double into the right centerfield gap.
Becker added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh when they scored three more runs to widen the margin to 15-8. Trevor Read drove in Keon Jenkins with the first run of the inning on a single to left field. Kevin Perez and Francis Baldino (East Brookfield, Mass.) finished the inning with consecutive RBI singles.
Lesley mounted a massive comeback in the top of the eighth inning with seven runs to tie the game at 15-15. After the Lynx loaded the bases with no outs, Casey Blanchard roped a double into left center to score Joe Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) and Mike Slaby (Foxboro, Mass.). With the bases full of Lynx following a Robert Parson walk, Gustavo Polidor brought on two more runs with double to centerfield. David Hersey (Wolfeboro, N.H.) followed with an RBI ground out along the first base line, scoring Parson from third base. Justin Clark then hit a chopper to short allowing Polidor to scamper home with the tying run.
The game remained tied until the top of the tenth inning when Mike Slaby hit a sacrifice fly with the bases load to give the Lesley a 16-15 lead. The Lynx added what proved to be the game winning run on a Joe Mutatore RBI single up the middle. The Hawks made things interesting in the bottom of the tenth with a pair of runners in scoring position with one out. Pinch hitter T.J. Sempkowski (Oceanport, N.J.) pulled the Hawks within a run with a sacrifice fly to deep right field, but Tom Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) got Sean Stone to foul out to first base to end the game.
Gustavo Polidor was five-for-six on the day with three RBI and three runs scored, while Robert Parson finished his day with four hits and four runs. Jeff Heinz (Portsmouth, N.H.) earned his second win of the season, while freshman Tom Muratore earned his first collegiate save.
Trevor Read, Niko Bedell, Francis Baldino, Nick Harriman and Sullivan Bortner all finished with three hits apiece for the Hawks. Sophomore Sean Simas (Cambridge, Mass.) suffered his first loss of the season.
Becker will try to end a four game slide when they host Anna Maria College on Tuesday, April 28 at 4:00 p.m. Lesley returns to action on Thursday, April 30 when they travel to Eastern Nazarene College for a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.
