DUDLEY, Mass. – The Curry College baseball team dropped a pair of games at Nichols College in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in Dudley, Mass.
The Bison (12-24, 6-8 CCC) picked up a 5-2 win in game one before freshman Alexander Stroshine hit a walk-off RBI single in game two to give Nichols a 5-4 win in the nightcap. Curry ends the day at 10-17 overall and 4-10 in conference games.
Game One – Nichols 5, Curry 2
Amato tossed a gem in game one to lead the Bison to victory, allowing two runs on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts in six innings of work. Kirley came on to pitch the seventh and picked up his third save of the season while striking out one in a perfect inning.
Cook went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Bouchard was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Assenza went 2-for-2, while Roy and freshman Shay Souza each went 1-for-3 and combined for three runs scored.
Curry senior Justin Cage went 1-for-3 with a home run, while classmate John Cave was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Senior David Griffin suffered the setback, allowing four runs on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts.
Cage opened the scoring with a towering home run to left in the top of the first, and the Bison were able to knot the game at 1-1 on an RBI double by Cook that plated Souza in the bottom of the third. The Colonels took the lead back in their half of the fifth on an RBI double off the bat of Cave to make it a 2-1 lead for the visitors.
With one out in the fifth, Roy worked a walk before Cook singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. Bouchard stepped in and doubled into the gap in right center, allowing both runs to score, and put Nichols back in front, 3-2. The Bison would later load the bases, and freshman Nathaniel Cormier picked up an RBI by working a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 4-2.
Nichols would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Bouchard picked up his third RBI of the day with a single to right that plated Roy to make it a 5-2 game. Kirley would have all the support he needed as he retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to close the door.
Game Two – Nichols 5, Curry 4
Stroshine played the hero in game two as he hit a rocket over the head of the center fielder's head with one out in the bottom of the seventh to score senior Chris Anderson and help the Bison walk off with the 5-4 victory.
Stroshine and Anderson each went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, with Stroshine adding an RBI. Freshman Riley Parent went 2-for-2 with an RBI, while Roy and Cook each went 1-for-4, with Roy adding an RBI. Bouchard added a 1-for-2 day, while classmate Christian Naccari went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
McElhinney earned a no-decision in the nightcap, tossing six innings while giving up four runs (three earned) with a pair of walks and picking off two baserunners. Sophomore Andrew Charbonneau went 0.2 of an inning and walked a pair, while Kirley picked up the win in relief, retiring the only batter he faced with the bases loaded.
Cage had another strong game for the Colonels, going 1-for-2 with three RBI, while sophomore Michael Moreau and junior Spencer Cookson each went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Senior Kevin Jones picked up a no-decision, allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Sophomore Tyler Nadeau took the loss in relief, giving up one unearned run on one hit in 0.1 inning.
Cage opened the scoring in game two for the Colonels, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-run single. Naccari answered for the Bison in the bottom of the second as he faked a bunt before lacing a single through the hole at second to plate Anderson and cut the deficit to 2-1. Nichols tied the game later in the inning when Parent doubled home Stroshine to make it a 2-2 game.
Curry got a run in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by sophomore Adam Duarte, and Cage extended the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly.
The Bison took advantage of a Curry error in their half of the sixth as Cormier came around to score on a throwing error by the third baseman to make it a 4-3 game, and Stroshine would later score on a single by Roy to knot the game at 4-4.
Charbonneau got two quick outs in the top of the seventh, but ran into trouble when he walked a batter and then hit another to put two runners on. A wild pitch allowed the baserunners to move up, but allowed the Bison to walk Cage to load the bases. Nichols went to its closer in the tight spot, and Kirley responded by forcing a soft pop out to the shortstop to end the threat.
Anderson led off the inning by hitting a line drive to the second baseman that was misplayed and allowed him to reach. Naccari sacrificed him into scoring position, and the Colonels elected to walk Cormier to keep the double play alive. Stroshine stepped in and bombed the ball over the head of the centerfielder, allowing Anderson to score and giving the Bison the 5-4 walk-off win.
Curry closes out the regular season on Sunday with a home doubleheader against Wentworth beginning at noon. Nichols travels to Western New England on Sunday for their regular season finale in a doubleheader starting at noon.
(Game Recap Courtesy of Nichols College Sports Information)
