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| Photo is courtesy of Gordon College |
Gordon moves to 5-3 in the CCC and 16-8 overall, while the Bison sit at 4-2 and 13-11 respectively.
Game One: Nichols 5 – 6 Gordon / 10 innings
The doubleheader opener provided plenty of big moments with the two teams trading the lead five times in a 10-inning thriller.
Nichols got to Gordon starter Matt Amore (Pequannock, N.J.) in the first inning, despite the junior
leading the conference in several pitching categories coming into the day. The heart of the Bison order troubled Gordon pitching for much of the afternoon and they got things started with a pair of singles in the by Cam Cook (Phoenixville, Pa.) and Matt Hardy (No. Attleboro, Mass.). An error filled the bases, but Amore was able to get out by only allowing Cook to score on a groundout.
Gordon was a tough out for Nichols pitcher Joseph Nicolace (Cranston, R.I.), loading the bases in each of the first two innings. Nicolace threw over 70 pitches between the two frames, but was able to get out of the first inning unscathed.
However, the Fighting Scots got to Nicolace in the second. Benoit doubled down the left-field line to begin the inning and advanced to third on a balk. Two walks later and two outs later, Dean Demers gave Gordon its first lead with a single through the hole on the left side to drive in two. Addison Tarr (Oxnard, Calif.) put Gordon up 3-1 when he scored on a wild pitch a few moments later.
The Bison took the lead right back in the third with a two-out rally of their own. Amore got the first two batters out, but got into trouble with a single by Hardy and a hit-by-pitch taken by catcher Ross Caswell (Randolph, Vt.). Nichols tied the game one batter later with a deep triple to the wall in left field off the bat of Nick Roy (Middletown, Conn.). Tim Ford (Stafford Springs, Conn.) gave the visitors the 4-3 lead with a single inside the bag at third to easily score Roy.
The two-out rallies continued in the bottom of the fourth when Demers came through with another RBI knock to score Tarr from second. Demers was thrown out on the play, but Gordon's centerfielder tagged home before the out, making it a 4-4 game.
Both offenses cooled down in the late innings, forcing the game into extras. Nichols looked poised to take the game in the eighth with a meticulous stretch. Roy and Spencer Madden (Nashua, N.H.) walked and Ford doubled in the go-ahead run. The Bison had a chance to tack on a few more, but reliever Caleb Bae (Canyon Country, Calif.) got a inning-ending double play to end the bases loaded threat.
Nichols brought in closer Kevin Kirley (Clinton, Mass.) to finish out the Scots, but Benoit hit the first pitch he saw over the college lettering in left field to tie it at five.
Bae and a slew of Nichols relievers held the game tied into the 10th inning when Benoit became the incredible hero. The catcher hit his third career home run and second in as many at bats to propel Gordon to the 6-5 walk-off victory.
Bae picked up his first win of the year in two and two-thirds innings, while Chris Dipilato (Worcester, Mass.) drew the loss.
Game Two: Nichols 4 – 3 Gordon
The second game featured two lanky pitchers of contrasting styles. Nichols looked to tag Scott Hall (Weymouth, Mass.) for his first loss of the year, while Bison starter Adam Rigney (Niantic, Conn.) hoped to move past a tough start to the year.
The Bison were able to hit Hall in the early going, but the senior was able to work himself out of a jam on more than one occasion over the first four innings. On the other side, Rigney confounded Gordon hitters to the tune of one hit through six innings to keep the Bison in control for the majority.
Nichols finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning. After registering the first out of the inning, things took a bad turn for the home squad. Freshman Joe Assenza (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) broke through a tough start to the day with a long single to right-center. A possible double play needed to end the inning was halted when Hall mistakenly threw the ball too low after fielding the chopper cleanly.
The Bison made Gordon pay three pitches later when Hardy launched a double that hit the wall in left-center, scoring a run from second. Caswell also singled to score two more runs and give Nichols a 3-0 advantage.
Nichols added another run in the sixth with a solo shot by Madden to putting green past the wall in left.
With their backs against the wall, Gordon's Ryan Paulsen (Latham, N.Y.) singled to lead off the inning. However, a fly out and a strikeout by Gordon's three and four hitters looked to end the threat of a comeback. Chris Leavitt (Bridgewater, Mass.) kept that hope alive with a run-scoring single to the gap in right to set up freshman Alec Willey (San Diego, Calif.).
In limited duty, Willey began the season 1-for-10 with his lone hit being a home run. In movie-magic fashion, the rookie got ahold of a 3-1 pitch from Rigney and sent it into the pond in right-center to make it a 4-3 game.
Gordon was not done there as Matt Moffat (Stratford, Conn.) reached on an error, Benoit walked and Daniel Quint (Wells, Maine) was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Tarr hit a slow chopper between the third baseman and shortstop, but Brendan Martin (Nashua, N.H.) got to it and threw over to first. A tight play at the bag went in Nichols favor, not allowing the tying run to score.
Hall fell to 4-1 this season for the Scots, while Rigney picked up his second victory of the season in a complete-game effort.
Quick Hits:
- Benoit became the first player to hit two home runs in a game since Demers did it in a non-conference game last season.
- Madden hit his second goner of the year.
- Benoit and Demers led all players with four hits in the two games. Benoit finished a triple shy of the cycle in game one.
- Gordon has its best record in program history through 24 games.
On Deck:
Gordon travels down the road to take on Endicott tomorrow beginning at noon. Nichols will also stay in conference play with a home doubleheader against Curry, who is 1-5 in the CCC coming into the weekend.
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