PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Sam Malgeri (Stratham, N.H.) collected six hits and drove in five runs to power Plymouth State University to a sweep of Western Connecticut State University in a Little East Conference (LEC) baseball doubleheader at Parish Field on Friday.
Junior
Alex Noel (Dover, N.H.) was outstanding in game one, logging a career-high seven innings while striking out a personal-best seven batters. Plymouth State built a 4-0 lead through four innings, with Noel surrendering only a pair of unearned runs through six. The Wolves put two in scoring position with one out in the seventh, but Noel escaped with the jam with the lead intact. Junior
Andrew Faherty (Phoenix, Ariz.) provided insurance with a booming double in the eighth, and Malgeri followed with a blast over the high fence in right-center to extend the lead to 7-3. The Panthers held on for a 7-4 victory.
Senior
Nick Wilson (Mont Vernon, N.H.) delivered a strong start in game two, also pitching into the seventh for the first time in his career. Malgeri stayed hot at the plate, going 4-for-5 and nearly slugging another home run, narrowly missing with a drive off the top of the fence in deep right-center. Junior
Brendan Flynn (Arlington, Mass.) reached base five times, going 3-for-3 with a triple and two walks, while scoring three runs. PSU plated three runs in the first and never trailed, adding three more in the fourth and breaking the game open with a three-run eighth to secure a 10-4 win.
Plymouth State improves to 6-16 (3-8 LEC), while the Wolves fall to 8-23 (1-12 LEC).
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 7, WestConn 4
- Game 2: Plymouth State 10, WestConn 4
- Plymouth State (6-16, 3-8 LEC)
- WestConn (8-23, 1-12 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- Plymouth State opened the scoring in the second as graduate student Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) reached on a perfectly placed bunt single. Faherty followed with an infield hit, and Malgeri drove an RBI double to the left-center gap for a 1-0 lead.
- Sophomore Josh Worthington (Pownal, Vt.) walked to start the third. Classmate Sam Salvi (Southborough, Mass.) reached on another bunt single, and a wild throw allowed Worthington to score from first. Flynn's sacrifice fly made it 3-0.
- Curtis manufactured a run in the fourth, working a leadoff walk, advancing on a wild pickoff throw, taking third on a wild pitch, and scoring on Malgeri's groundout to stretch the lead to 4-0.
- The Wolves capitalized on a PSU miscue to score on a two-out homer in the sixth, trimming the margin to 4-2.
- WestConn threatened in the seventh with runners on second and third with one out, but Noel limited the damage to just one run.
- PSU added key insurance in the eighth when Curtis was hit by a pitch and scored from first on Faherty's double to chase the WestConn starting pitcher. Malgeri welcomed the reliever with a towering two-run shot to right-center, making it 7-3.
- Sophomore Greg Mayo (Dorchester, Mass.) gave up a run in the ninth but closed out the 7-4 win.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Noel struck out a career-high seven over seven innings, allowing just one earned run.
- Faherty (single, double) and Malgeri (single, homer) recorded two hits apiece. Faherty scored once and drove in a run, while Malgeri finished with four RBIs and a run.
- Curtis reached base three times (hit, walk, HBP) and scored three runs.
- Mayo earned his third save.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Flynn drove in the game's first run with a two-out single in the first. Senior Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) followed with a base hit, and Curtis doubled them home for a 3-0 lead.
- WestConn answered with a run in the second and another in the fourth to close within 3-2.
- PSU responded in the bottom of the fourth as Malgeri tripled off the top of the high fence in center. Junior Chris Faherty (Phoenix, Ariz.) singled him home, stole second, advanced to third on a balk, and later scored on a wild pitch. Quinn's sacrifice fly made it 6-2.
- The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs in fifth but couldn't capitalize. WestConn cut the deficit to 6-3 with a run in the sixth.
- PSU immediately answered as Flynn tripled and scored on Quinn's sacrifice fly for a 7-3 lead.
- WestConn got one back in the seventh, but freshman Jake Adrien (East Hampstead, N.H.) worked out of a bases-loaded jam to preserve the lead.
- Salvi walked, stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch in the eighth. Freshman Anthony Cooley (Brunswick, Maine) and Malgeri added RBI singles to push it to 10-4.
- Curtis made a pair of dazzling defensive plays as Adrien retired the Wolves in order in the ninth.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Wilson pitched into the seventh inning for the first time, striking out four over 6.1 innings to earn his first win of the year.
- Adrien collected the save, allowing just two hits over the final 2.2 innings.
- Malgeri went 4-for-5 with a triple, a run, an RBI, and two stolen bases.
- Flynn reached base five times with two singles, a triple, and two walks, scoring three times.
- Quinn was 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs, and two RBIs.
- Cooley chipped in with two hits.
- PSU stole six bases without being caught.
- Plymouth State has now won five straight and eight of its last ten meetings against the Wolves.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State travels to Rhode Island College for an LEC twin bill on Saturday (Apr. 27). First pitch for game one is set for a 12:00 p.m.
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