BROOKLINE, Mass. – Sophomore Jon Spitz (Hanover, Mass.) combined to go 5-for-8 with a walk and four stolen bases while senior Nick Colanto (Beverly, Mass.) fired a complete game four-hitter in the nightcap as the Wentworth baseball team opened Commonwealth Coast Conference play with a sweep of Eastern Nazarene. The Leopards prevailed, 5-4, in 10 innings in the first game before taking a 6-1 win in the nightcap.
Eastern Nazarene got on the board in its first at bat as back-to-back singles from junior Michael Chiaradio (Teaneck, N.J.) and senior Steve Doyle (Weymouth, Mass.) placed runners on first and second with no one out. Both runners moved up 90 feet when senior Danny Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.) grounded out and Chiaradio came home to score on a sacrifice fly to left off the bat of senior Johan Villalona (Bronx, N.Y.).
Wentworth knotted the game at 1-all in the third inning as sophomore Paul Dassau (Franklin, Mass.) reached on an error with one out and stole second. A two-out single by Spitz plated Dassau. In the top of the fourth the Lions re-took the lead when sophomore David Manning (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) led off with a double and went to third on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs sophomore Matt Jayne (Quincy, Mass.) reached on an error that would score Manning.
The Leopards tied the game in the last of the sixth when Spitz led off with a single and stole second. An infield single from senior Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y.) put runners at first and second with no one out and both runners moved up on a senior Justin Bolla (Groveland, Mass.) sacrifice bunt. Spitz came home to score when freshman Jake Mailman (Medway, Mass.) grounded out.
The eighth inning saw Eastern Nazarene take a 3-2 lead in the top half of the inning when freshman E.J. Estrada (Alpharetta, Ga.) doubled in Manning, who had a two-out bunt single. However, Wentworth evened the game in the home half of the inning as junior Alex Wong (Lewiston, Maine) led off with a single and stole second. Spitz singled to place runners on first and third and Flisnik delivered a sacrifice fly that would score Wong. Wentworth had a chance to win the game, as the Leopards had the bases loaded with one out but a double play ended the inning.
In the ninth inning the two teams again traded runs as Chiaradio delivered a two-out single and stole second before giving the Lions a 4-3 lead when he was driven in by Doyle. With two outs in the home half of the inning the hosts forced a 10th inning when freshman Joe Hulme (Tewksbury, Mass.) singled and stole second. The inning was kept alive when sophomore pinch hitter Dakota Baird (Bermuda Dunes, Calif.) reached on an error that allowed Hulme to score. An infield hit by Wong put runners at the corners and Wong would steal second, but a groundout ended the threat.
Wentworth won the game in the 10th as Flisnik led off and reached on a two-base error and Bolla was hit by a pitch. Both players moved up on a Mailman sacrifice. Junior Ryan Delgado (Wareham, Mass.) was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting the stage for senior Kevin McKenzie (Arlington, Mass.) to hit a fly ball to left, where Flisnik tagged up to attempt to score the winning run. However, the throw was off the mark and the Leopards walked off with a 5-4 win.
Sophomore Ben Lewis (Middletown, R.I.) improved to 2-1 on the year as he allowed one run on two hits and struck out three in two innings of relief of senior Kyle Cruz (Burlington, Conn.), who allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits and struck out six in eight innings. Spitz was 3-for-5 with three stolen bases while Wong added a pair of hits.
Freshman Matt Jordon (Pleasantville, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss, allowing an unearned run in two-thirds of an inning. He came on in relief of sophomore Anthony Berroa (Teaneck, N.J.), who allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits and struck out four in nine innings of work. Chiaradio was 4-for-5 in the game, while Doyle and Manning each had two hits apiece.
The Leopards took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of game two as Mailman led off with a triple and scored on a Hulme groundout. Eastern Nazarene tied the game in the top of the fourth when Villalona struck out for what would have been the third out of the inning, but reach first on a passed ball. He moved to third on a sophomore Max Pugh (San Diego, Calif.) single and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Berroa.
Wentworth struck for four runs in the bottom of the inning – all coming with two outs. Baird laced a double to right center, which was followed by a Hulme walk. Both players came around to score on a freshman Scott Ouellette (Lewiston, Maine) double to left. Ouellette scored on an RBI single from Dassau, who would steal second and come home to score on a Wong single. The Leopards added an insurance run in the fifth when Mailman hit a one-out single, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a Hulme triple to right center.
Colanto allowed an unearned run while giving up just four hits, walking two, and striking out four. He retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced, including a stretch of eight in a row that was broken up by a seventh inning single. Spitz and Mailman finished with two hits apiece, while Hulme and Ouellette each drove in two runs.
Pugh and Berroa had a pair of hits apiece to account for the Lions offense. Sophomore Brandon Wells (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs on 10 hits in the complete game.
Winners of three straight Wentworth improves to 10-8 overall and 2-0 in league play. The Leopards host Roger Williams in a CCC doubleheader Saturday at Noon. Eastern Nazarene falls to 1-13 (0-2) and hosts Salve Regina in a twinbill tomorrow.
