BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott senior Michael Cahill (Plymouth, Mass.) helped the Gulls walk-off with a 5-4 win in game one of a conference doubleheader with Curry while Colonels sophomore Brian Burke (Swampscott, Mass.) pitched a complete game in a 2-1 game two victory to salvage a spilt on Sunday afternoon.
Endicott's (19-12, 11-3 CCC) walk-off in game one on a single through the left side by Cahill to score sophomore Mike Kochiss (Fairfield, Conn.) was the team's second walk-off of the season. The previous came in the 11th inning of game two versus CCC opponent Eastern Nazarene for a 1-0 win. Endicott hosts fellow regionally-ranked foe Wheaton (Mass.) on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. for a single, nine-inning contest.
Curry's (15-9, 7-4 CCC) victory in game two broke a stretch of six straight losses to the Gulls dating back the start of the 2013 season. The Colonels are in action on Tuesday for a single, seven-inning game at home against Salve Regina to wrap up a CCC doubleheader.
Game One: Endicott 5, Curry 4
Trailing 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, Endicott's offense finally kicked into gear as the Gulls scored in each of the final four innings in complete the come-from-behind win in game one. Cahill's single through the infield with the bases loaded and one out brought Kochiss home from third and gave the senior his first RBI of the season.
Curry took a lead in the top of the second after sophomore catcher Nick Crivello (Millville, Mass.) doubled to right center to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt to get within 90 feet of home plate. With Crivello on third and senior Derek Pizarro (Cambridge, Mass.) at the plate, Curry successfully executed a safety squeeze to bring the runner home.
The Colonels added another run in the top of the third on a RBI single up the middle by freshman Evan Morris (Pembroke, Mass.) that plated leadoff man John Arens (Milton, Mass.). Leading 2-0, Curry looked to extend their lead the very next inning with runners on first and third and two outs. Arens hit a sharp grounder at the Gulls first baseman that deflected off his glove which allowed Pizarro to score from third base. Later in the inning with the bases loaded and Gulls reliever Nick Quattro (Canton, Conn.) on the mound, Quattro plunked Morris to bring home Curry's fourth run of the game.
Endicott began their comeback in the bottom of the fourth with some two out magic that saw junior designated hitter Anthony Serina (Portsmouth, R.I.) and junior catcher Josh Drew (Intervale, N.H.) hit back-to-back RBI singles to trim the Curry lead down to 4-2.
In the fifth with bases loaded and two outs, junior Nicholas De Lotto (Southbury, Conn.) drew a 10-pitch walk to plate freshman Dan Zabbo (Dracut, Mass.) who had walked to lead off the inning. Trailing just 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Endicott would tie the game with some help from the Colonels defense as an errant throw on a double-play bid allowed junior shortstop Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.) to score and set up Endicott's seventh-inning dramatics.
After 3 2/3 innings from starter JJ Branch (Milford, Mass.), who allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts, Quattro came on to throw the final 3 1/3 innings. Quattro allowed just one hit, walked one batter, and struck out three as he improved to 7-0 out of the pen.
Curry's freshman starter David Griffin (Hanover, Mass.) suffered the loss to fall to 3-1 as he allowed five runs, three earned, on eight hits and five walks while striking out two. He threw 126 pitches in 6 1/3 innings pitched before handing the ball over lefty Chris Smith (Scituate, Mass.) who surrendered Cahill's hit on his first pitch.
Game Two: Curry 2, Endicott 1
Curry's Burke went seven solid innings and allowed just one earned run on three hits and three walks as he improved to 2-1 on the season. Burke struck out four batters and made just one mistake, a solo homerun to Gulls senior catcher Chase Sullivan (Cumberland, R.I.) in the bottom of the fifth for his first homerun of the season and second of his career.
A costly error in the outfielder with two outs allowed Curry to score in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. One inning later, the Colonels made it a 2-0 game on a William De La Cruz (Bronx, N.Y.) RBI single to left that scored freshman catcher Zach Bowden (Taunton, Mass.) who had singled to lead off Bautze to lead off the inning. De La Cruz's hit came off Endicott reliever Davarn Nova (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) who threw four effective innings with three hits allowed, no walks, and two strikeouts.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Gulls put the game-tying run in scoring position after Sullivan walked and was pinch-run for by freshman Nick Berno (St. Albans, Vt.) who swiped second base with two outs. Burke, however, threw a high fastball to get his fourth and final strikeout to solidify the Colonels game two win.