Henniker, NH - The Lyndon State College baseball team held on to defeat New England College, 5-4, in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader.  The win gave the Hornets a split on the day, as the Pilgrims had defeated Lyndon, 2-1, in the opener.  The Hornets are now 10-14 overall on the season and 6-4 in North Atlantic conference play.  NEC is 20-9 on the season and 9-5 in the NAC.

Game 1 - New England College 2, Lyndon 1

The opener quickly developed into a pitcher's duel between Lyndon's Davis Guyer (Lyndon, VT) and NEC's Nick Powers (Malden, MA).  Powers held the Hornets hitless and scoreless through the first three innings, while Guyer allowed only a second inning double to the Pilgrims' Jameson Carey (Amherst, MA).

With one out in the top of the fourth inning, Lyndon's Codi Smith (Hartford, VT) reached on an error and advanced all the way to third base on the play.  Smith then scored the first run of the game on Zak Johnson's (East Hampton, CT) ground out.

Justin Carey (Amherst, MA) promptly tied things when he homered to lead off the home half of the fourth.  The next batter, Xavier Nunez (Lawrence, MA) walked, then moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt.  Luis Atiles (Dorcester, MA) then came up with a two-out single to score Nunez and give NEC a 2-1 lead.

Ben Rollins (Lincolnville, ME) relieved Guyer in the fifth inning and pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth.  Powers kept the Hornets in check the rest of the way as well, however.  He allowed only a two out single to Smith over the final three innings to give the Pilgrims the win.

Powers went the distance to get the win, allowing only one unearned run and three hits while striking out eight and walking three.  Guyer took the loss and allowed one earned run and one unearned run on three hits, striking out three and walking one over four innings.  Rollins didn't allow a hit in his two innings of relief.

Game 2 -

The Hornets started quickly in the nightcap.  Ryan Cordiero (Rollinsford, NH) led off the game by drawing a walk.  Jason Doris (Lincoln, RI) then reached on an error and Andre Eason Jr. (Waterbury, CT) doubled home both runners to give Lyndon a 2-0 lead.

NEC wasted no time in answering back in the bottom of the first inning.  Evan Delaney (Hadley, MA) led off with a home run over the center field fence.  Christian Aybar (Pawtucket, RI) and Justin Carey then drew back to back walks.  Hornet starter John Boulay (Dighton, MA) picked Aybar off of second, but Nunez singled to put runners at first and third.  Nunez was then caught in a rundown and tagged out, but Carey scored in the process to tie the game.

With one out in the bottom of the second inning, the Pilgrims' John Prentice (Saugus, MA) and Delaney drew back to back walks.  Neil Robinson (Stoddard, NH) then relieved Boulay and was greeted with a single back up the middle.  Prentice attempted to score but Eason gunned him down at the plate.  Justin Carey followed with a single to left, however and Delaney scored to give NEC a 3-2 lead after two.

After a scoreless third inning, Doris reached base with a two out single in the top of the fourth.  Eason then hit a fly ball to center that was misplayed into a two base error, allowing Doris to score and tie things.  Smith, the next batter, stuck out, but reached first on a passed ball and Eason scored on a throwing error by Pilgrim catcher Prentice, giving the Hornets a 4-3 lead.

Robinson kept NEC off the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, but the Hornets were unable to add to their lead in the top of the fifth.  Justin and Jameson Carey both drew walks in the bottom of the fifth, bringing in Andrew Whalen (Cumberland, RI) in relief of Robinson.  Whalen was able to put out the fire and strand two runners, keeping the Hornets in front.

After a scoreless sixth inning, Lyndon tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh.  David Laroche (Franklin, VT) led off by grounding a single through the right side of the Pilgrim infield.  Collin Clark (Rutland, VT) was inserted as a pinch runner for Laroche.  One out larter, Rollins laced a double to center, scoring Clark to make it 5-3, Lyndon.

Nunez delivered a one out single in the bottom of the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate.  He was lifted for pinch runner Clifford Guerrero (Boston, MA).  Following a walk to Jameson Carey, Atiles grounded into a fielder's choice, leaving runners at first and third.  Stanley Vargas (Boston, MA) singled home Guerro and moved Atiles, the tying run, to third.  After Whalen hit Connor Morin (North Andover, MA) to load the bases, he was able to get Manuel Alejandro (East Hartford, CT) to pop out to end the ball game and secure the win.

Robinson earned his first win of the season with three innings of scoreless relief while Whalen picked up his fourth save.  Shayne Audet (Springfield, MA) took the loss for NEC despite only allowing two hits and striking out 11 in five innings of work.

The Hornets will travel to Colby-Sawyer for a NAC doubleheader on Monday afternoon, starting at 2:00 pm.  NEC travels to Thomas College on Sunday.