Lexington, MA - Vermont State University Lyndon completed its four game North Atlantic Conference baseball series at Lesley University on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately for the Hornets, the results weren't any better than the day before, as Lesley took both ends of the doubleheader to complete a sweep of the series. The Lynx improved to 9-12 overall and 4-2 in conference, while Lyndon fell to 6-16 on the season and 3-5 in the NAC.
Game 1 - Lesley 7, VTSU Lyndon 6
Andrew Gryniewicz was the starting pitcher for Lesley. Freshman designated hitter Bryan Nazario (Little Elms, TX) got the first hit for the Hornets with a single to right field. The Hornets would put two guys on base with a walk by freshman shortstop Eyon Tembreull (Vergennes, VT). Nazario would score on a throwing error from fielder's choice by junior right fielder Matt Gonyeau (Saint Albans, VT) and that gave Lyndon a 1-0 lead. Junior third baseman EJ Camden (Corona, CA) hit a two-out single to left field to bring in Tembreull and make the score 2-0.
In the bottom half of the first, Christian McElroy doubled to give Lesley their first hit of the game. He scored on a single by James Brandon. Lesley would put two runners on base, but Hornet starting pitcher Nathan Bigelow (East Hampton, CT) got out of the inning with a 2-1 lead.
To start the top of the second, freshman catcher Carter Paquette (Shoreham, VT) tripled, then scored on a single by freshman left fielder Brayden Ross (West Bridgewater, MA) to make the score 3-1. Sophomore center fielder Evan Duncan (Little Elms, TX) laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Ross on second with one out but the Hornets couldn't bring him home.
Bigelow struck out the leadoff batter in the bottom of the inning, but Cal Caruso got on base for Lesley on a strikeout and advanced to second on a throwing error to first. Colby Jacobs singled up the middle, but the Hornets got Caruso out on third. Bigelow walked Justin Dennett to put two runners on base with two outs. Jacobs scored on a throwing error to first to make the score 3-2. Both runners advanced to second and third. Dennett scored on a balk to tie the game and McElroy advanced to third, but was left stranded.
At the top of the third, Gonyeau got the Hornets going with a leadoff triple, but was unable to score after he was out at home plate on a fielder's choice. For Lesley, Colin McCarthy reached base on a fielding error and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Owen Kalagher. McCarthy advanced to third on passed ball and went on to score on a single by Ryan Morales to give the Lynx the lead, 4-3.
Gryniewicz had a strong top of fourth, striking out to Hornets to put up a zero. In the bottom of the inning, Dennett hit a leadoff homer to increase the Lesley lead to 5.3.
Nazario walked to try to start a Hornet rally in thee fifth inning. Tembreull singled and that put two runners on base with no outs. Nazario advanced to third after a crucial double play, but was unable to score.
Kalagher tripled to left center to start the bottom half of the fifth and was brought in by a single from Morales, making the score 6-3. Morales advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Dorsey and scored on a double to left center by Jacobs to gave Lesley a 7-3 lead.
The Hornets went scoreless on the top of the sixth inning. Lesley had two runners in scoring position with one out, but Bigelow managed to escape the inning without anyone scoring.
Lyndon had one more chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the seventh inning. The Hornets were up to a good start with a walk to Ross. Duncan tripled to bring in Ross and cut the lead to three runs. That was the end for Gryniewic as Patrick Teasdale came in to close the game. Nazario grounded out to first and Duncan scored to make it 7-5 with one out. Tembreull was hit by pitch, bringing the tying run to the plate. Teasdale got a clutch strikeout to get the second out. Junior first baseman Ryan Alt (Poultney, VT) singled to center field to keep Lyndon alive. Freshman Michael Matsi (Las Vegas, NV) came in to pinch run for Alt. Camden delivered a clutch single to center to bring in Tembreull and advance the tying run on third. Teasdale ended up getting the final out on a pop out.
Gryniewicz had a strong performance on the pitching mound. He went six innings striking out six batters with three walks, and earned the win to improve his record to 3-1 on the season. Teasdale earned the save. Dennett went 1-3 with a homer. Brandon went 2-4 with one run batted in. Morales went 2-4 with two runs batted in.
Bigelow also had a good game on the mound. He also pitched six innings striking out five batters and walking three hitters. This is Bigelow's first loss on the season. He's now 3-1. Tembreull led the team in runs scored with two while also going 1-2. Camden went 2-4 with two runs batted in. Nazario and Duncan both went 1-3 with one run batted in while also scoring one run. Gonyeau went 1-4, bringing home a run.
Game 2 - Lesley 6, VTSU Lyndon 0
The nightcap started out as a pitcher's duel between Lyndon's Dale Ostermann (Harrington, DE) and Lesley's Charles Ambroult. The Hornets had two great chances to score, but left the bases loaded in the second and third innings.
The Lynx got on the board in the home half of the fourth inning when McCarthy laced a one out triple to left center. Kalagher followed with a sacrifice fly to give Lesley a 1-0 lead.
Lesley broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dorsey singled leading off, then scored when Dennett delivered a two-out triple. McElroy was up next and hit a two-run home run over the right field fence. After Brandon reached on an error, McCarthy hit the second home run of the inning, extending the Lynx lead to 6-0. The Hornets went quietly in the last two innings, as Lesley closed out the game.
Ambroult allowed only three hits with seven strikeouts over six innings of work to pick up the win. Morales came on to pitch a scoreless seventh to complete the shutout. McCarthy had a huge game with a homer, a triple, a single, two runs batted in and two runs scored. Dennett added a pair of hits.
Duncan, Gonyeau, and Alt had the only Lyndon hits. Ostermann was saddled with the loss after allowing four earned runs and six hits over five innings.
Lyndon is scheduled to play at home for the first time on Wednesday afternoon when they face Norwich University at the Skip Pound Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
