Mid Massachusetts News

Baseball Erases Five-Run Deficit to Down North Carolina Wesleyan, 10-7, on Opening Day

The Nichols baseball team used a seven-run fifth inning to overcome a five-run deficit to defeat North Carolina Wesleyan in their season opener on Friday afternoon by the score of 10-7. The Bison pick up their first win of the season while handing the Battling Bishops their first loss in their sixth game of the campaign.
 
The Bison started the season off with a bang, as Johnny Knox singled up the middle with one out in the top of the first. Left fielder Brennan Hyde stepped up to the plate next, hammering the second pitch of the at-bat well over the left field wall to give Nichols the early 2-0 lead.
 
North Carolina Wesleyan came out swinging in the bottom of the first. Following a walk and an error with one out, Jackson Hobbs crushed one over the fence in left to give the Bishops the 3-2 lead.
 
After a hit-by-pitch and a walk in the bottom of the third, Blake Scott roped a two-out double to left plating two runs to extend the lead to 5-2. N.C. Wesleyan added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Tyson Bass two-run homer to make it a 7-2 ball game.
 
Nichols began to chip away in the fifth, loading the bases with one out before an Andrew Croteau dribbler to third base got thrown into the outfield, scoring two runs. Catcher Ben Jerome stepped up to the plate, lacing a ball into the left-center gap for a two-RBI triple, making it 7-6. Jerome later scored on a failed pick-off attempt, knotting the game at seven. Knox worked a walk to keep the rally going before Hyde repeated his first-inning performance with another two-run homer to left field, giving the Bison the 9-7 lead. Nichols added an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a Stanley Cipkas RBI single.
 
After four stellar innings from Richard Pignone, Patrick Sawyer came on to record the final six outs and he did just that, allowing only one baserunner while picking up two strikeouts to record the save.
 
Hyde finished his monster day by going 3-6 with two home runs and four RBI. Jerome picked up two hits on the afternoon to go along with two RBI, and Knox found himself on base four times, scoring twice. Pignone picked up his first career win, throwing four strong innings before handing it over to Sawyer for the save.
 
The Bison continue their North Carolina trip Saturday, February 25 when they take on Desales at Armstrong-Shelley field in Fayetteville, N.C. with first pitch set for 6:00 p.m.

Original source can be found here