Gulls Make Three-Run First Hold Up Against MIT

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and then held off the MIT Engineers, picking up a 3-2 victory on Friday afternoon in non-conference baseball action at North Field.

The Gulls improve to 7-4, while the Engineers, ranked #5 in New England, fall to 9-2 on the year after suffering their fifth consecutive defeat in the all-time series between the programs.

Endicott senior Brendan Pittsley (Plympton, Mass.) improved to 2-0 on the year after allowing just one run on four hits over six and a third innings. Pittsley struck out five batters and surrendered just one base on balls.

The Gulls had six hits in the game, two each by first baseman Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.) and outfielder Colin Sitarz (W. Hartford, Conn.). With both those batters on in the first, third baseman EJ Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) drove a triple to center field to give Endicott a 2-0 advantage and pick up RBIs six and seven on the season.

Martinez would come in to score on the final play of the inning, crossing the plate before Eric Lemke (Southington, Conn.), who was hit by a pitch, was tagged out in a run-down trying to steal second.

After struggling through the first inning and working out of a jam in the third, MIT senior Max Ockner (Chesterfield, Mo.) settled down and began to breeze his way through the Endicott lineup, at one point retiring ten consecutive batters. Ockner allowed just four hits and struck out three batters through six innings, but suffered his first loss of the year, falling to 2-1.

MIT got a run back right away, with shortstop Parker Tew (Chapel Hill, N.C.) doubling home designated hitter Nate Rodman (Crovallis, Ore.), who was 2-4 on the day for an Engineers team that collected five hits.

From there Pittsley buckled down as well, allowing just one hit until he was lifted with one out in the top of the seventh.

The home team could have had more runs in the bottom of the third when Homgren walked and Sitarz ground-rule doubled to center, but Ockner, after intentionally walking Martinez with two outs, made a nice play to throw out Lemke at first on a shot up the middle.

The Engineers were able to edge closer when right fielder Hayden Cornwell (Newport Beach, Calif.) sent a towering home run to left field with one out in the bottom of the ninth. The long ball was the first of the year for the sophomore, who collected his team-leading 12^th RBI.

Endicott senior Kevin Dupras (Belchertown, Mass.), who had finished the seventh inning in relief of Pittsley, was able to close the door with consecutive strikeouts to pick up his second save of the season over two and two-thirds innings.

Brandon Lowe (Brier, Wash.) and Eric Tu (San Roman, Calif.) pitched scoreless innings of relief for MIT, combining for three strikeouts.

Endicott will be right back on North Field on Saturday afternoon, when they host Husson in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch for game one is slated for 12:00 pm.

The Engineers will be on the road again tomorrow with a single 1:00 pm game at Johnson & Wales University.