BIG INNING LEADS WORCESTER STATE PAST RIC

Worcester, MA—Nate Nelson (Worcester, MA) homered in his first two at bats to lead the Worcester State College baseball team to a 8-5 victory over the visiting Rhode Island College Anchormen Wednesday afternoon at Fitton Field on the campus of Holy Cross. The win improves the Lancers to 16-16 on the year while RIC drops to 21-10.

Rhode Island College got on the board in the top of the second inning when senior first baseman Jim Connell (Smithfield, RI) scored on a double steal swiping home plate to put the visitors on top, 1-0.

Nelson answered in the bottom of the inning with his sixth homer of the year to knot the game up at a run apiece.

Worcester State went on to plate five runs in the bottom of the third, which proved to be the decisive inning. Freshman Ryan Raleigh (Cranston, RI) led off with a triple to right field and scored on a fielder’s choice by Ryan LaPrade (Leominster, MA). After Matt Hart (Easton, MA) reached on a bunt single, LaPrade was erased on a play at third base off the bat of Ryan Hawley (Shrewsbury, MA). Senior Chris Logan (Spencer, MA) drove home Hart with an RBI single to left field. One batter later, Nelson hit a three-run shot over the right center field fence to give the Lancers a, 6-1, lead.

The Anchormen put up single runs in the fifth and sixth frames. In the fifth, senior left fielder Rob Reyes (Providence, RI) came across on a bases loaded walk to junior center fielder B.J. Doyon (Douglas, MA). In the sixth, junior right fielder Chris O’Connors (N. Kingstown, RI) scored on an RBI double down the right field line by junior catcher Jordan Amorin (Swansea, MA) to cut the Lancer lead to, 6-3.

Worcester State scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. After a Chris Logan walk, Chris Gusha (Rutland, MA) drove one to the fence in right, which scored Logan. Nelson followed with a single through the right side for his fifth RBI, scoring Gusha from third.

RIC answered with two in the top of the eighth, but would not get any closer.

Worcester State starter Andy Cunningham (Leicester, MA) went five innings giving up just two runs to get his first win of the season. Sophomore Joey Lucier (Brockton, MA) picked up his first save of the year closing out the game in the ninth. RIC senior starter Evan Grogan (East Lyme, CT) suffered his first loss of the season for the Anchormen.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will play at Framingham State on Thursday, Apr. 24 at 4 p.m.

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