April 11, 2007
QUINCY, MA - The Endicott College baseball team split a CCC doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon with Eastern Nazarene, downing the Crusaders 12-3 in game one, and then dropping the second contest 4-0. With the split, the Gulls record moves to 9-9 overall and 5-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.
The visitors got things started early in game one, slamming five first inning hits for six runs in the opening frame. Adam Labbe (Litchfield, ME/Oak Hill Regional) poked a two RBI double to put the Gulls up 6-0 after the first half inning.
The Crusaders would get back two in the bottom of the 1st with a pair of singles and a two RBI double by senior Brad Mountain (Cape May, NJ) but Endicott made good work of opportunities the rest of the game. It was senior Steve Vidmosko (Shelton, CT/Fairfield Prep) and sophomore Brian Andersen (Grafton, MA/Grafton) who knocked two run homeruns in the 4th and 7th innings respectively to seal the 12-3 victory for the visitors.
It may not have worked out so nicely though had the Gulls defense not made three outstanding plays, two of which ended innings. With the bases loaded in the 4th and a fly ball to right field and freshman Tyler Nicholson (Portland, OR) tagging up on third, junior Tom Warner (Contoocook, NH/ Hopkinton) made the catch and sent a perfect throw to the plate to end the inning with a double play. The Endicott defense kept reeling in the 5th and 6th innings, as centerfielder freshman Aaron Santos (Cambridge, MA/Cushing Academy) and Warner made diving catches while charging in on Crusader fly-balls to snuff out ENC rallies. Warner's catch ended the inning to leave two Crusaders stranded on base.
Vidmosko had a productive day at the plate going 2-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBI. For the Crusaders, Mountain had a strong afternoon by going 3-for-4 with 3 RBI in the losing effort.
The offensive firepower from the Endicott bats didn't carry over into game two, as Crusader sophomore hurler Justen Smith (Jefferson, MD) turned in a dandy two hit, one walk and three strikeout complete game performance. Smith mixed up his pitching arsenal by using some off speed stuff to go along with his breaking pitches to keep the Gulls guessing.
The Crusaders broke the ice in the bottom of the 1st inning as two walks and a single loaded the bases for Nicholson's sacrifice fly. Junior Jared Weidenroth (Swampscott, MA) doubled to plate three Crusaders before innings end to put the home team up 3-0. ENC added an insurance run in the 2nd inning as a bases loaded walk forced in a run to make the score 4-0. That lead was all Smith would need, earning the split for Eastern Nazarene.
Endicott returns to action on Saturday afternoon as they host Curry College in a CCC doubleheader in Beverly, MA. Game one is scheduled to start at 12:00 noon on North Field.