PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomores
Connor Dobson (South Portland, Maine) and
Sam Malgeri (Stratham, N.H.) each had two hits to lift Plymouth State University to a split with New England College in a non-conference baseball double header at Parish Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Malgeri ripped a double in a two-run first inning of game two, and Dobson added a run-scoring hit in the second as PSU raced out to a 6-0 after two innings. Freshman
Ryan Fogell (Coventry, R.I.) worked a pair of scoreless innings before sophomore
Ryan Williams (Merrimack, N.H.) struck out four over the next three, allowing just a pair of unearned runs. NEC attempted to rally late, scoring three in the final at bat, but PSU held on for the 8-5 win.
The Pilgrims leaned on their pitching to take the opener, 12-2. NEC retired the first ten batters and built an 11-0 lead before Plymouth State got its first hit – a deep blast off the bat of sophomore
Owen Baum (Saint Michaels, Md.) for his first career home run. Junior
Jack Marsden (Broadalbin, N.Y.) added an RBI double in the fifth, but that was all the offense could muster.
Plymouth State moves to 10-16, while the Pilgrims are 12-19.
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 2, NEC 12
- Game 2: Plymouth State 8, NEC 5
- Plymouth State (10-16)
- NEC (12-19)
How it Happened (Game One):
- NEC got a pair of runs in the top of the first, then added three in the second.
- The Pilgrims exploded for six runs in the fourth.
- Baum blasted his first home run of the season deep to left field for the Panthers' first hit with one down in the bottom of the inning.
- The Panthers got another run back in the fifth. A two-base error allowed Malgeri to reach second and Marsden followed with a booming double to left center to make it 11-2.
- NEC had a chance to blow the game open in the seventh as the Pilgrims loaded the bases with none out, but sophomore Andrew Baxter (Thornton, N.H.) came in and allowed just one run to score on a ground out to account for the final score.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Plymouth State was limited to three hits, but two went for extra bases.
- Baum's homer was the first of his career.
- Marsden went 1-for-3 with his RBI double. He's driven in a run in each of his last two starts.
- Junior Sam Dyckman (Whitefield, N.H.) struck out five over the first 3.1, but took the loss.
- Baxter needed just nine pitches to escape the bases-loaded, none out jam he inherited, allowing just one run to score on a ground out.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Senior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) made a pair of nice plays in centerfield during the top of the first, running down deep fly balls to each gap to keep NEC off the scoreboard.
- Malgeri smashed a one-out double in the bottom of the frame to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Junior Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.) drove in a run with a sac fly and senior Nick Healey (Campton, N.H.) made it 2-0 with his base hit.
- Freshman Aidan Ponder (Merrimack, N.H.) singled and stole second, then scored on a base hit by Dobson to start the second. Dobson swiped second and crossed the plate on a base hit by classmate Scooter Summa (Ellicott City, Md.) before Rives put down a perfect bunt single. A pair of throwing errors allowed a run to score and Baum made it 6-0 with a sac fly to left.
- NEC plated a pair of unearned runs in the fifth, but the Panthers answered right back. Healey and Ponder earned walks and Dobson smacked a two-out double down the left field line to make it 7-2.
- The Panthers added another run in the sixth on Welsh's RBI single.
- NEC attempted to rally in the final at bat, putting the first three runners on and trimming the margin to 8-5, but sophomore Nick Wilson (Mont Vernon, N.H.) recorded the final two outs to secure the win.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Dobson finished 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored, while Malgeri added a single and double in three plate appearances while also scoring a run.
- Rives also had a two-hit game with a 2-for-4 effort atop the lineup.
- Healey and Ponder both reached base three times with a single and two walks, while Baum walked twice and scored a pair of runs.
- Fogell struck out two over two scoreless innings, while Williams picked up the win after striking out four and allowing just two unearned runs over the next three innings.
- Baxter had another good outing, retiring the side in order in the sixth.
- The teams have split the last four series.
Up Next:
- The Panthers host UMass Boston for a league game on Thursday (Apr. 27) at 3:00 p.m.
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