Baseball Sees Season Come to an End

MILTON, Mass. – Junior Sam Barron (Florence, Mass.) and senior Carlos Cornejo (Lake Forest, Calif.) each combined for three hits to pace the Curry College baseball team to a sweep of Wentworth, 4-3 (eight innings) and 6-4, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action at D. Forbes Will Field.

Wentworth took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when sophomore Paul Dassau (Franklin, Mass.), who hit a one-out double, scored on a junior Alex Wong (Lewiston, Maine) single. In the home half of the inning the Colonels tied the game when sophomore Matt O'Neill (Milton, Mass.), who reached on a fielder's choice, came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of junior Matt Rodriguez (Quincy, Mass.).

Curry took a 2-1 lead an inning later when senior Matt Drew (Waltham, Mass.) squeezed home Barron, who had led off the inning with a double down the right field line.

Wentworth tied the game at 2-all in the top of the sixth when freshman Joe Hulme (Tewksbury, Mass.) grounded out, which scored senor Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y.) who had led off with a single to right. In the home half of the inning Curry re-claimed the lead when Rodriquez went to third on a groundout and scored on a throwing error.

Down to its final out, Wentworth got a runner on when Wong reached on a three-base error and scored a batter later on a sophomore Jon Spitz (Hanover, Mass.) single through the left side. Curry had a chance to win it in the last of the seventh but left two runners on.

After the Leopards went in order in the top of the eighth, Curry got a pinch hit single from junior Shayne McDonald (Cambridge, Mass.) with one out and went to third on a fielding error. After Drew took second on defensive indifference, freshman Matt Warren (Wilbraham, Mass.) was intentionally walked to load the bases. Sophomore Brandon Lewis (Barrington, R.I.) delivered the game winner with a single to left.

Freshman Michael Mussier (Sterling, Mass.) picked up the win in relief (2-1), as he pitched a perfect eighth inning.  Classmate Thomas Fitzpatrick (South Boston, Mass.) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits while walking one and striking out six, in seven innings. O'Neill and Cornejo each had two hits for Curry.

Wong, who was one of four Wentworth players to record a hit, took the loss (2-5) as he allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits, walked two, and struck out two. Both Wong and Spitz each drove in a run.

The Leopards jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the nightcap when Wong led off with a walk and went to third on a Spitz single. Spitz stole second and on a delayed steal, Wong took home.

In the second inning Curry took a 2-1 lead as Barron hit a one-out double to right center and went to third when senior David Stevens (Deerfield Beach Fla.) singled. On a bunt single, Barron scored and Stevens went to third before Stevens score on a safety squeeze by Lewis.

An inning later the Colonels took a 4-1 lead when Rodriguez bunted McDonald home and Cornejo, who had singled and stole second, scored on an errant pickoff throw after being moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Rodriquez. Curry upped its lead to 5-1 in the fourth inning when Lewis reached on a three-base error and scored when O'Neill squeezed him home.

Wentworth mounted a comeback in the fifth inning, tallying three runs when Dassau drew a bases-loaded walk, Wong hit a sacrifice fly, and Flisnik hit a sacrifice fly. However, in the home half of the inning, Curry rounded out the scoring when Barron doubled in Rodriguez. The Leopards would get a leadoff walk from junior Ryan Delgado (Wareham, Mass.) in the top of the seventh, but would strand him at third to end the game.

Junior Corey Pierro (Essex, Mass.) picked up the win in relief as he allowed three runs on two hits, walked two, and struck out two. Senior Joe Carrig (Irvine, Calif.) earned his first save of the season as he pitched two innings, allowing two walks and striking out one. At the player, Barron was 2-for-2.

Senior Adam Farrar (Newport, Vt.) closed out his career with the loss (2-4) as he allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits, walked two, and struck out five. Three different players tallied hits for the Leopards, including Wong, who also drove in a run.

With the wins the Colonels improve to 16-21 (12-4 CCC) and secure the number three seed for the upcoming CCC Baseball Tournament. Curry will host fourth-seeded Roger Williams (14-25). Wentworth concludes the season with a 15-21 record (6-10 CCC) and finished tied for sixth place. By virtue of Salve Regina's two wins over the Leopards, the Black & Gold miss the CCC Tournament for the first time since 2006.