Northborough, MA - Anna Maria College scored five times in the bottom of the first inning and cruised to a 22-8 victory over Northern Vermont University-Lyndon in Tuesday's college baseball game, which was played at the New England Baseball Complex.  The game was the Hornets' season opener, while the AMCATS improve to 3-0 on the young season.

Hornet catcher Ryder Thornton (Essex, VT) opened the game and the season with a base hit down the right field line off of Anna Maria starter Jake Usenia.  However Thornton was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.  Codi Smith (Hartford, VT) drew a two-out walk, but was forced out on a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Anna Maria jumped on Lyndon starter Sam Ognenoff (Brattleboro, VT) in the bottom half of the inning.  Adam Twitchell beat out a bunt single to start things.  Kosta Drosidis then delivered a one-out triple to score Twitchell.  James Powers singled home Drosidis, then Noah Holland blasted a two-run homer over the right field wall.  The AMCATS tacked on one more when Jason Shell singled and scored on Greg Gehring's two-out double.

After the Hornets went down in order in the top of the second, Anna Maria extended their lead to 7-0 in the bottom half of the inning.  With one out, Jarod Marifiote doubled down the left field line and Drosidis followed with a home run over the center field wall.

Thornton beat out an infield single with two outs in the Hornet third for his second hit of the game.  However he was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning.

The AMCATS pushed across two more runs in the home half of the third.  Twitchell singled then stole second.  He scored on Marifiote's single back up the middle.  After Marifiote advanced to second on a wild pitch he came home to score when Drosidis singled to left.

Matt Doherty (Gardner, MA) got the Hornets on the board with a home run over the left field fence leading off the fourth inning.  Smith then drew a walk and Steven Friscia (Smithtown, NY) reached on an error.  After Parker Perron (Barton, VT) grounded into a double play, advancing Smith to third, Sean Cavanaugh (Londonderry, NH) was hit by a Usenia pitch.  Ryan Boucher (St. Albans, VT) then tripled to deep right center, scoring Smith and Cavanaugh.  After Tyler Roberge (Essex, VT) walked, Joe Dorman relieved Usenia.  Roberge was then thrown out trying to steal second to end the Hornet threat.

TJ Santaw (Newport, VT) releived Ognenoff to start the bottom of the fourth.  Powers drew a walk off Santaw to start things and Holland followed with a base hit to left.  Pinch hitter Aidan Calcaterra singled to left to score Powers, then Jason Shell singled home Holland.  Fili Veras then delivered a two-run double to extend the lead to 13-3.

The Hornets appeared to have something going in the top of the fifth inning when Santaw led off with a walk and Thornton moved him to third with his third base hit of the game.  Dorman struck out the next three Hornets to end the threat.

The AMCATS continued to have hot bats in the bottom half of the inning.  Marifiote led off with a single and Drosidis followed with a double.  Powers reached on an error, scoring one run, then Holland doubled in another.  After Cavanaugh replaced Santaw on the mound Anna Maria pinch hitter Nick Morley cleared the bases with a grand slam to make it 19-3.

Boucher's two out single produced the only Lyndon base runner in the top of the sixth.  Cooper Whitehouse (South Berwick, ME) came on to pitch for the Hornets in the bottom half of the inning.  Anna Maria was able to put three more runs on the board, with the big blow being Joseph Yanelli's two-out, two-run single.

Santaw walked to open the top of the seventh, but the Hornets were unable to do any further damage.  Dylan Crump (Falls Village, CT) came on to pitch in the bottom half of the inning and kept the AMCATS off the scoreboard for the first time in the game.

Lyndon bats came alive in the top half of the eighth inning.  Perron led off and reached base via a dropped third strike.  Shea McCaffrey (Lyndonville, VT) followed with a walk, then Boucher singled to load the bases.  Back to back singles from Roberge and Santaw each drove in a run, then Thornton's sacrifice fly scored Boucher.  Two more singles by Jordan Cane (Merrimac, MA) and Smith plated two more runs, but Marc LeBlanc came in for Anna Maria and got Friscia to ground into a fielder's choice to end the rally.

Matt Brault (Milton, VT) came in as the sixth Lyndon pitcher of the game to begin the bottom of the eighth.  After yielding a leadoff walk he retired the next three Anna Maria hitters in order.   Perron walked to lead off the ninth but LeBlanc retired the next three batters to close out the game.

Dorman got the win in relief for Anna Maria while Ognenoff took the loss for Lyndon.

The Hornets' next scheduled contest is on Friday, February 26th, when they will play a doubleheader against Fisher College.  Those games will be played at Fraser Field in Lynn, MA.