BROCKTON, Mass. – Endicott graduate student Mike Nich (Orange, Conn.) pitched a complete game and the top two hitters in the Gulls' batting order drove in six runs as Endicott defeated UMass Boston 7-2 Wednesday in a non-conference baseball game at Campanelli Field.
Nich struck out ten batters and allowed just one earned run on seven hits, all of them singles, while pushing his record to 2-1 and improving Endicott's season mark to 14-9. The Beacons suffered their third consecutive loss and see their season record even up at 10-10.
Center fielder Conor Ressel (Rockport, Mass.) went 2-for-5 with two runs batted in and two runs scored in the leadoff spot, while third baseman Taylor English (Barre, Vt.) drove in three runs and pinch hitter Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass.) added an RBI double batting second.
The Gulls fell behind 2-0, but scored three runs in the third to take the lead for good and added a pair of insurance runs in each of the seventh and ninth innings.
Ressel singled home left fielder Ralph Fidaleo (Southington, Conn.) and then, along with Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.), came across the plate on a two-run single by English in the top of the third. Hall, who had two of Endicott's eleven hits, also scored on a ground-out by English in the seventh after advancing on a passed ball that allowed pinch runner Corbin Hyde (Lewiston, Maine) to score.
Endicott added two more runs in the ninth when Tim Brutto (Worcester, Mass.), pinch running for designated hitter Eric Lemke (Southington, Conn.), who was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a double to left center by Ressel, who scored himself on Heineman's pinch hitter two-bagger.
The Beacons would score their only two runs of the night in the first two innings, with Jose Pena (Boston, Mass.) and Charles LaPaglia (Marshfield, Mass.) each reaching home plate. Pena had a strong day for UMB's offense as he went 3-for-3, all singles, and took one walk.
Beacons junior righty Luca Ilges (Gloucester, Mass.) was handed the loss after surrendering five runs, four earned, on eight hits through seven complete innings. He also struck out six, while reliever Tyler Kane (Wilbraham, Mass.) fanned two Gulls in the final two innings, in which he allowed two runs on three hits.
The Beacons stranded eight base runners, and had the bases loaded in the first two innings, but were only able to plate one run in each.
The Gulls will return home for another non-conference game on Thursday afternoon when they host Salem State at 3:30 pm.
UMass Boston will be in Wellesley at the same time for a non-league game against Babson.
