MILTON, Mass. – The Curry College baseball team dropped both games of a conference doubleheader to visiting Nichols College on Sunday afternoon. The Bison took the first game by a 4-3 final and then completed the sweep with a 7-0 shutout in the nightcap. The wins move Nichols to 18-14 overall and 7-5 in the CCC. Curry falls to 11-17 on the season and 7-5 in league play.
GAME ONE
The Bison struck first in the opener as they got on the board in the top of the third. Nick Roy (Middletown, Conn.) got thing started with a two-run single to left, which scored Chris Cerniglia (Monroe, N.J.) and Andrew Doll (Plantation, Fla.). Nichols tacked on another when Kyle Bouchard (Fall River, Mass.) converted a single to right to plate Roy to go up 3-0.
The Colonels cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third, thanks to an RBI double to center field from Alex McLean (Eliot, Maine). McLean's two-bagger scored John Cave (Tewksbury, Mass.) to make the score 3-1.
The Bison added to their lead in the fourth after Doll laid down a sacrifice bunt to Matt Fogarty (Millis, Mass.). The bunt was executed well enough to score Matt Hardy (North Attleboro, Mass.) from third to reclaim a three run advantage, 4-1.
Curry hit the comeback trail and would tally a run in the fourth and then in the sixth as the Colonels would fall by a run, 4-3. Jack Kallinich (Madison, Conn.) recorded a single to center to score Justin Cage (Glendora, Calif.) in the fourth. In the sixth, Nick Crivello (Millville, Mass.) had an RBI single of his own, which plated Vincent LoPriore (Boston, Mass.).
McLean, Crivello, Kallinich and Cave had a hit apiece to close the offensive output for the Colonels. Roy and Doll paced Nichols with two hits each.
Adam Rigney (Niantic, Conn.) picked up the victory on the hill for the Bison. He went five innings while giving up three runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked one. Kevin Kirley (Clinton, Mass.) recorded the save, closing out the final inning of regulation. He recorded one strikeout.
Fogarty was credited with the loss as the sophomore went the distance and gave up four runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked two while throwing 117 pitches.
GAME TWO
Nichols scored first in game two in the top of the second, tallying two runs. Doll opened the scoring with a one-run single to right center to plate Tim Ford (Stafford Springs, Conn.). Cerniglia followed with a sacrifice bunt which scored Joe Assenza (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) to grab a 2-0 lead.
The Bison extended its lead in the fifth, scoring twice more. Bouchard singled to center which scored Cam Cook (Phoenixville, Pa.). Christian Naccari (Ossining, N.Y.) pitched in with his own single to center as this base knock plated Bouchard.
Nichols tacked on two more runs in the sixth, thanks to sacrifice flies from Cerniglia and Bouchard. The Bison would get their final run after Roy stole second which allowed Cook to score to make it a 7-0 final.
Roy, Naccari, Assenza, and Doll led the way for Nichols with two hits each. Adam Duarte (East Providence, R.I) paced Curry with two hits in the nightcap.
Vincent Amato (Brooklyn, N.Y.) registered the win on the mound for the Bison. He tossed a complete game, four-hit shutout while walking two and striking out three. McLean was credited with the loss as he went four and two thirds innings. He gave up four runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking one.
Curry returns to action on Wednesday for a single game at home against Bridgewater State at 3:30 p.m. Nichols will next play Tuesday against Becker at 3:30 p.m. at home.
