Nichols Escapes with 5-4 Victory over Baseball

Northboro, Mass. – The Framingham State University baseball team closed the regular season with a 5-4 loss to Nichols College in non-conference action at the New England Baseball Complex this evening. 

With the win, the Bison close the season at 10-19-1, while the Rams fall to 24-16 on the year.

Nichols staked themselves a 2-0 lead with single runs in the top of the third and fifth. In the third, the Bison had runners on first and third and a sacrifice fly to deep center from freshman Nick Osma (Babylon, NY) plated a run and junior Benjamin Harrow (North Reading, Mass.)  laced an RBI single to center in the fifth.

The Rams grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fifth as they plated three runs, all with two outs.  Junior Jake Wardwell (Hudson, Mass.) reached on a bunt single and senior Matt Gerard (Milford, Mass.) followed with a walk.  Senior Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) singled up the middle to score Wardwell from second and senior Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.) followed with a two run double to center putting the Rams on top 3-2.

Nichols took the lead back (5-3) in the top of the seventh as they loaded the bases with two outs.  Sophomore Mike Piekarczyk (Dudley, Mass.) delivered a bases clearing double to left, but was thrown out at third trying to advance ending the inning.

The Rams got one back in the bottom of the frame when junior RJ Gray (Lowell, Mass.) was hit by a hit pitch with the bases loaded.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Rams had the game tying run on third base in Wardwell who reached on a bunt single, moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt and with two outs took third on a wild pitch.  Reliever Joseph Nicolace (Cranston, RI) was able to end the inning on a groundout with Wardwell at third. 

Kevin Kirley earned the win on the mound for the Bison going 1.2 innings of relief and allowing one earned run on no hits with four walks and three strikeouts, while Nicolace earned the save going 2.1 innings without allowing a run.

Junior Brendan McDonough (Chelmsford, Mass.) took the loss going an inning of relief and allowing three earned runs on three hits with a walk.  Junior Dillon Corlis (Winterport, ME) started on the hill for the Rams and went five innings surrendering two earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.

The Rams are back in action tomorrow afternoon when they host Westfield State University in an opening round game of the 2015 MASCAC Baseball Championship Tournament.