Gordon Sweeps No. 20 Endicott, 3-1 & 6-0

Michael DeDonato hits a ball.

BEVERLY, Mass. – Gordon College swept No. 20 nationally ranked Endicott by scores of 3-1 (9 inn.) and 6-0 on Friday evening in conference doubleheader action at North Field.

GAME ONE: Gordon 3, Endicott 1 (9 inn.)

Tied 1-1 in the top of the ninth inning, Gordon took advantage of two miscues on the same play and an Erik Gauer (Wayland, N.Y.) RBI single through the left side to take a 3-1 advantage.

Endicott did threaten in the bottom half of the frame with two on and no outs, but a failed sacrifice bunt, a caught stealing at third base and fly out to left ended the comeback bid for the Gulls.

Gauer, who knocked in the insurance run in the top of the ninth inning, also earned the win (1-0) in relief on two shutout innings (two hits, 0 BB, 0 K). Meanwhile, Cooper Anibal (Bedford, N.H.) took the loss (1-1) via one inning, two hits, two runs (both unearned), no walks, and a strikeout.

Prior to their comeback bid in the ninth, Endicott forced extras in the seventh inning with two outs as Michael DeDonato (Chelmsford, Mass.) roped an RBI double down the left field line to score Dan Cacciola (Saugus, Mass.). Both Cacciola and Brad Rebello (Bellingham, Mass.) were key to scoring the game-tying run as the duo worked a one-out and a two-out walk, respectively, to pass the baton to DeDonato for his clutch RBI.

GAME TWO: No. 20 Endicott, Gordon

Gordon completed the sweep of Endicott behind a complete-game shutout from Joe Pedulla (Monroe Township, N.J.) as the freshman righty only allowed two hits and issued three walks alongside a game-high four strikeouts to improve to 6-0 on the season.

The Fighting Scots also saw John Lagerfeldt (Stratford, Conn.), Matt Moffat (Stratford, Conn.), Joseph Manck (East Longmeadow, Mass.), and Christian Hodge (Waltham, Mass.) drive in runs, while Alec Willey (San Diego, Calif.) stole home in the sixth.

Joseph Oriola (Pembroke, Mass.) took the loss (2-2) on six innings of work, eight hits, five runs (all earned), two walks, and three strikeouts.

WHAT'S NEXT

No. 20 Endicott (16-5, 4-2 CCC) travels to Western New England tomorrow for a conference doubleheader with game one scheduled for 12 PM. Gordon (11-10, 4-2 CCC) hosts Nichols tomorrow in a league twinbill at 12/2:30 PM. 

For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

(Photo Credit - David Le '10)