ENC Takes Battle of the Lions

Tuesday March 26, 2013.  In the battle of the Lions, Eastern Nazarene walked off victoriously, sweeping Emerson 6-1 and 5-4.  Game one started well for Emerson, when Johnny Hasney singled to right and stole second base with one out.  Cal Ciarcia lined a single to left and Hasney slid in just ahead of the throw from the left fielder to score the game’s first run.  Unfortunately, that would be the only run the visitors would score all game.  ENC starter Matt Jayne settled down and let up just two more hits, walking only two, and striking out five en route to a complete game, 87 pitch performance. 

 

Emerson starter Nick Kelly was the unlucky losing pitcher in game one, throwing 4.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs.  Freshman Jack Capotorto threw the last 1.1 innings allowing two hits and no earned runs.

In game two, it would be ENC who got on the board first.  After a scoreless top of the first, Emerson starter Sammy Evers walked the first two batters and then gave up 4 consecutive singles.  One of the batters was thrown out at second trying to advance on the throw home.  The inning ended on a bases loaded ground ball to Hasney at second who stepped on the bag and threw to first for the double play, limiting the damage to two runs.

The visiting Lions did not role over though; Jesse Francese led off the second with a walk and promptly stole second.  Kolby Woodfield doubled down the left field line, easily scoring Francese.  Malcolm Kelner laid down a sacrifice bunt that the catcher threw into right field, allowing Woodfield to score and Kelner to reach third.  Conor McDonough knocked Kelner in with a hard hit groundout to first.  With two outs, James Sullivan and Hasney both singled up the middle, and Sullivan scored when Zach Dean reached on an error by the shortstop.  The four run second inning would be all the offense Emerson would provide in game two.  In the bottom half of the second, Jack Capotorto was called upon again, relieving Evers after back to back singles.  Capotorto retired the next three in order to get out of the jam. 

 

Capotorto would pitch brilliantly for the next 4 innings, allowing just one unearned run on four hits while striking out two.  In the bottom of the 7^th, ENC shortstop Jeremy Wagner singled to right center after fouling off a tough  0-2 pitch.  Capotorto struck the next batter out with the runner going, and catcher Zach Dean threw a bullet to second which beat the runner, but the ball was dislodged from Hasney’s glove when the runner slid into the bag.  Wagner moved to third on a groundout.  With two outs, ENC third baseman Anthony Berroa came through with his fourth hit of the day, knocking in Wagner from third.  Junior Andy Brightman was called upon to get the final out of the 7^th, but after Berroa stole second, he moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored when the 2-2 pitch found its way past Dean and went to the backstop. 

Offensively for Emerson, Hasney was 3-6, while Woodfield and McDonough each had 2 hits and an RBI on the day. 

Although Jack Capotorto was pinned with the loss in game two, he had a great day on the mound.  In the two games, he threw 7 innings, allowing 8 hits, just 2 earned runs, struck out 2, and walked no one.  In his last 3 outings, Jack has now gone 10.2 innings while allowing just 3 earned runs, striking out 5, and walking no one. 

Emerson takes on the Newbury College Nighthawks on Thursday night at 8pm at Victory Field in Watertown, MA before opening GNAC conference play against Suffolk University on Saturday.