BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott baseball team hosted non-conference opponent Husson University on Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader. Sophomore Steve Morganelli (Milford, Mass.) hit for the cycle, adding four RBIs in game one as the Gulls took the 15-5 decision. In game two, three ribbies from sophomore Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn.) helped guide the Gulls to a 13-4 triumph for the sweep. Endicott improves to 21-9 (10-2 CCC) while the Eagles drop to 16-11 (11-4 NAC).
Endicott will take the field next on Monday, April 21st as they host non-conference opponent Bates for a nine-inning game at 3:00 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for April 1st and was postponed due to weather. Husson takes the field next on Tuesday, April 22nd as they travel to conference opponent Thomas for a doubleheader at 2/4 PM.
Game One: Endicott 15, Husson 5
In game one the Eagles came out strong posting two homeruns in the first inning. Sophomore J.T. Whitten (Waterville, Maine) cranked the first one to left field for a two run homerun. The second came from senior Josh Gaudette (Waterville, Maine) for a second consecutive two-run homer.
The Blue and Green did not falter as they answered right back tying up the game in the bottom of the second. With senior Tad Gold (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.) on first, senior Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.) doubled to right center to send him around the bases for the first run of the inning.
Morganelli then stepped up to the plate and blasted a double to right center bringing in two more runs for the Gulls. On a sacrifice by freshman Cam Farnham (Andover, Mass.), Morganelli reached home plate. To wrap up the inning junior Harry Oringer (Dartmouth, Mass.) doubled to right center to bring in the tying runs to make it a 4-4 score.
In the bottom of the third the Blue and Green earned another as Morganelli dished out another RBI as he tripled to center field bringing in senior E.J. Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) around the bases to take the lead. The Gulls scoring would not end there as they posted four runs in back to back innings. The fourth inning was highlighted by a pair of doubles by Oringer and Holmgren followed by a triple in the bottom of the fifth by Gold as the Blue and Green earned a 15-5 decision.
In the final inning at the plate for the Gulls Morganelli capped off his full cycle with a homerun.
The mound was shared between junior Zac Poland (Essex Junction, Vt.) (5-0) and senior Connor McLaughlin (Clinton, Mass.) (Sv, 3). Both pitched well while Poland earned the win with his 49 strikes on 70 pitches on 20 batters faced. McLaughlin closed out the game earning the save, in the final three innings facing 14 batters and recording 16 strikes on just 28 pitches.
Game Two: Endicott 13, Husson 4
Endicott brought their bats from game one and continued to push their limits in game two as nine different Gulls posted at least one RBI, led by Paola with three. Both Paola and Gold recorded triples in the game.
Controlling the mound was the shared between sophomore Corbin Hyde (Lewiston, Maine), Eric Nagle (Manchester, Conn.) and sophomore Davarn Nova (Wareham, Mass.). Nagle entered the game in the third inning and earned his first win in a Gulls uniform improving to 1-0 on the season while Nova tabbed his second save on the season. Nova and Nagle were not credited with an earned run in their combined 6.2 innings.
Endicott drew first in the bottom of the first inning as they posted four early runs highlighted by a triple from Gold and a double from Martinez which both brought in runs on the scoreboard.
After a tough second inning that saw three runs for the Eagles the Blue and Green picked up their game in the bottom of the fourth as Farnham and Paola both singled to bring in their teammates around the bases to take a 6-4 lead.
After a scoreless fifth inning from both sides, Farnham and Paola came up big again earning RBIs, highlighted by a triple from Paola. In the inning, freshman Mike Kochiss (Fairfield, Conn.) also earned an RBI as he sacrificed to left field to bring Paola home. Endicott scored in back to back innings in the seventh and eighth to close out the game on top 13-4.