Baseball Comes From Behind to Defeat Becker, 6-5, in Non-Conference Play

Recap, photo courtesy of Springfield College

Springfield, Mass. - April 5, 2018 - The Springfield College baseball climbed back from a three-run deficit to overcome Becker, 6-5, in non-conference play on a windy Thursday afternoon at Archie Allen Field. With the win, the Pride is now 14-5-2 on the year while the Hawks fall to 5-14 overall.

The Pride received an impressive pitching performance in relief from Kenny Walton (New Providence, R.I.), who came on after the fourth inning and pitched 5.0 frames, giving up just three hits en route to his first win of the season. Joe Gamache (Lebanon, Conn.) started the game and went for 4.0 innings, giving up four hits and no earned runs while also striking out four.

Offensively, the Pride was led by Chad Shade (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Jack Cooney (Pittsfield, Mass.), who combined for four hits and five runs scored on the afternoon. Cooney, along with Noah Bleakley (Granby, Mass.), Brandon Drabinski (Lisbon, Conn.) and Alex Denoyelle (Woonsocket, R.I.) all collected RBI in the win.

Becker scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead over Springfield College, but the hosts responded in the bottom half of the inning when Shade scored on an error from the catcher, before Cooney trotted home on an RBI single from Bleakley, making it 2-2 after one. The Hawks pushed its run total to five in the top of the second on an error in right field with the bases loaded, resulting in three runs for the visitors.

Shade led off the fifth inning with an infield single, before moving into scoring position on a passed ball. From there, Cooney ripped a single to drive in Shade, making it 5-3, before Cooney stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. From there, Mark Joao (Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) walked, before Cooney scored on an error from the pitcher, cutting the Pride's deficit to one.

Springfield College went back to work in the bottom of the seventh as Cooney led off the inning with a single to right, before Joao and Marcelino Diaz (Hartford, Conn.) got on base to load the bags. Next up, Drabinski walked, bringing home Cooney from third, before Denoyelle drew four balls as well, resulting in the game-winning run for the Pride.

From there, Walton would settle in, retiring six of the next seven batters to seal the victory.