April 6, 2006
BEVERLY, MA - The Gulls of Endicott split a pair of slugfests today with conference rival Eastern Nazarene College today when they won the first game 10-9 and lost the second game 14-13 in extra innings. The split hands Endicott their first conference loss of the season while their record stands 7-11 (5-1 CCC). The Crusaders record stands at 11-12 (8-4 CCC).
In the first game of the day the Crusaders were able to get off to a hot start of off Gulls junior Mike Daggett (Sabattus, ME/Oak Hill) as he was unable to get out of the first inning. The Crusaders scored six runs in the inning on four hits. Three two RBI hits by the Crusaders provided the damage.
The Gulls would not be held down quietly when they answered in the bottom of the inning with RBI singles that scored junior Steve Vidmosko (Shelton, CT/Fairfield Prep) and senior Matt Bishop (Woburn, MA/Woburn). They were plated by freshman Joe Paciello (Worcester, MA/St. Peter Marian) and sophomore Gavin Softic (Athol, MA/Cushing Academy). The Gulls continued to push and were able to tie it up in the third inning when they plated four consecutive batters and were able to knock Crusaders starter Dave Dickerson (North Plainfield, NJ/Timothy Christian School) as a result after the inning was completed. Run scorers in the inning were Vidmosko, Bishop, Paciello and senior Kevin Donahue (Reading, MA/Reading).
The Crusaders were able to regain the lead in the top of the next inning when they scored two runs by senior Graham Crain (Hamilton, OH/Stephen T. Baldin) who was knocked in by junior A.J. Turner (Wrentham, MA/King Philip). Turner was plated in the next at bat by senior Matt Watson (Pepperell, MA/North Middlesex Regional). The Gulls then were able to get a run closer in the bottom of the fourth when junior Erik Fields (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott) hit his first homer of the season to left field with one out.
Sophomore Dan Gomez (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow) was able to give the Gulls some breathing room when he hit a three run shot to left-center field in the bottom of the fifth that plated Donahue and Softic. The Crusaders were able to get a run closer in the top of the sixth when Crain hit a homer to left field. Junior Ian Parkinson (Peabody, MA/Peabody) was able to shake it off and finish the game to get freshman Dave Weinreich (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) his first collegiate win.
In the night cap the teams combined for 27 runs and left 26 runners on base but Endicott committed seven errors that left the door open for the Crusaders victory. The Gulls took a 13-11 lead into the seventh inning but were unable to finish the visitors off. A.J. Turner led the Crusaders offense going 5-5 with five stolen bases. The visitors tied the game in the seventh on Craig Turner's (Wrentham, MA/King Philip) RBI single and Leif Jansson's (Westminster, MA/Gardner) RBI single. In the top of the eighth A.J. Turner reached on a two out single, stole second base and scored on Watson's RBI single.
Endicott stormed back from a 11-5 deficit scoring six runs in the fifth inning. Vidmosko started the rally with an RBI single, Bishop followed with a bases loaded walk before Donahue ripped a two run single. Gomez and Softic each delivered run scoring singles. Endicott tacked on two more in the sixth to take a 13-11 lead on an Erik Fields RBI single and Donahue's RBI double that scored Bishop.
Gomez finished the game 4-6 with two RBI's in the loss while Donahue was 3-5 with three RBI and Joe Orlando (Gloucester, MA/Gloucester) was 2-5 with three RBI. Leadoff hitter Fields was 2-5 with two runs scored and Bishop went 1-3 with a homer, three runs scored and three RBI.
Jansson finished 3-6 with three RBI while Craig Turner, Watson (three RBI) and Crain (RBI) all finished with two hits.
The Gulls are back in action on Saturday April 8, 2006 against conference rival Salve Regina in a doubleheader in Beverly. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00pm. That same day Eastern Nazarene takes on New England College at noon.
