MILTON, Mass. – Western New England University came away with a pair of victories in a baseball doubleheader at Curry College on Wednesday afternoon, winning by final scores of 6-3 and 10-2 7-1 in at the Jack Vallely Diamond.
Game 1 – Western New England 6, Curry 3
The Golden Bears jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. After two were retired, junior Zac Nussbaum (Bridgewater, Mass.) connected on a pitch and deposited it over the right field fence.
The power brigade continued in the third as senior Erik Lacaire (Worcester, Mass.) contributed a two-run shot to right center, which also scored senior Brian Valeriano (Stratford, Conn.) to push the score to 3-0.
The Colonels got on the scoreboard with a double to center field by freshman Jason Leonard (Dedham, Mass.). The two-bagger plated freshman Julian Jaume (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who had reached on a walk to lead off the frame.
Western New England padded the advantage in the next two innings, thanks to a single by Nussbaum in the fourth and then he followed with a solo homer to right to stretch the score to 5-1.
Curry answered back with a run of its own in the home half of the sixth. Senior Tyler Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) opened the inning with a double to left center. Sophomore Garrett Fosher (Exeter, N.H.) followed with a single to left. Jenkins then advanced to third on the base knock. With runners on the corners, junior Adam Duarte (East Providence, R.I.) grounded into a double play, allowing Jenkins to cross home.
The two teams then traded tallies in the seventh as the contest would end in a 6-3 final. Senior Joe Cassella (Wallingford, Conn.) doubled to center, which scored Lacaire. Junior Jared Keller (Oxford, Conn.) rounded out the scoring as he drove in senior Spencer Cookson (Sheffield, Mass.) with an RBI groundout to second.
Sophomore Kevin Hummer (Shrewsbury, Mass.) (4-1 overall) gave up one run on four hits over 5.0 innings and struck out five while walking three. Junior Patrick Westerlind (Auburn, Mass.) and senior Sean Halligan (North Branford, Conn.) combined to toss the final two innings, each giving up a run.
Sophomore Zachary Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) (1-8 overall) pitched a complete game and gave up six runs (all earned) on 10 hits. He struck out two and walked three in the setback.
Game 2 – Western New England 10, Curry 2
A three-run first inning catapulted Western New England in control of the second game. The Golden Bears sent eight batters to the plate in the frame and came away with three hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch. Cassella had a single in the inning to drive in a pair of runs, and senior Aaron Rios (Stratford, Conn.) plated two runs with a single through the left side.
Western New England was not done on the offensive side of the ball, as they tacked on five in the second. The inning featured five runs on three hits. After back-to-back walks to put two on, Lacaire connected on a one-out single to center to score Valeriano. Cassella followed with a two-RBI single to right while Nussbaum continued his power surge with a two-run homer to right.
The Golden Bears added two in the fifth to extend the lead to 10-0. Sophomore Sebby Grignano (Meriden, Conn.) reached on an error by Duarte, which allowed Rios to score. Valeriano then drove the Western New England's final run with a sacrifice fly to center field, plating sophomore Joe Webber (Marshfield, Mass.).
Curry got a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth on a double to center field from Leonard, sending Jaume across home.
The Colonels were able to push one more across in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly to right field from Jenkins, which scored senior Michael Strizzi (Williamstown, Mass.) for the 10-2 final.
Senior Paul Wetmore (Hamden, Conn.) (5-1 overall) allowed one hit and struck out one over 1.2 innings in the victory. Curry junior starter James Mello (Fall River, Mass.) (0-6 overall) gave up three runs on three hits, fanned one, and walked one in the loss.
Curry returns to action on Thursday, April 26 against Wentworth at 7:15 p.m. The game will take place at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton. Western New England will next play on Thursday at Westfield State in a single game starting at 3:30.
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