Five Golden Bear Starters Smack Two Hits in 9-7 Win over Stockton

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 12, 2023) – The Western New England baseball team drew up a 9-7 win on day two of the RussMatt Invitational on Sunday morning as five of the starting nine Golden Bears collected two hits in the game to pace the Golden Bears to a two-run victory. 

Records:

• Western New England: 4-0-1
• Stockton University: 3-5

Pitching Records:

• W: Matt Lauria: 1-0
• L: Stephen DeMillio: 1-1

How it Happened:
Stockton jumped out to the early 2-0 lead after Jordan Nitti would connect on a long ball to left field to give the Ospreys a two-run lead after a half inning of play. SP Matt Lauria would go the first five inning for the Golden Bears, quickly setting down the Ospreys after the bump in the top of the first inning. Western New England would score their first run of the game after John Bova reached on a single to shortstop and would advance on an error by Stockton. Kohtaro Shimada would send Bova to the plate after roping a double to right field to put WNE on the board for the first time in the game. 

Western New England would jump out to their first lead of the game in the bottom of the third inning after a six-run inning would come to floriation. Jack Loftus would start the scoring with a sacrifice fly to score Jake Gerraughty to tie the score. After Paul Villecco walked, Aaron Cole would reach on a fielder's choice that would get nobody out in the inning and would score CJ Willis to put WNE ahead 3-2. John Bova would deliver a two RBI double down the left field line to score Villecco and Sean Jamieson while Kohtaro Shimada would clear the bases with a two RBI single to left field as Western New England grabbed six runs in the inning to go ahead 7-2 through three innings. 

Stockton would score three runs in the top of the fifth and added one in the top of the sixth before Western New England would get back on the scoreboard again. The Ospreys would jump on a wild pitch, walk and sac-fly in the fifth while Stockton's Giovanni Sciarrott hit an inside the park home run to left field put the Osprey's down by one after quickly trailing by five runs earlier in the contest. 

Western New England would grab two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning after CJ Willis connected on a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Kohtaro Shimada while Jack Loftus came through with an RBI double to score Jake Gerraughty after the left fielder reached on his own double to give Western New England a 9-6 lead. Stockton would score on added run in the top of the eighth inning on another SAC fly. In the ninth, Troy Donohue would wrap up the game for WNE getting a fly out, ground out and strike out to save the game for the blue and gold, sending Western New England to their fourth straight victory of the season and moving to 3-0 in the sunshine state. 

Inside the Box:

• Jake Gerraughty, CJ Willis, Jake Loftus, John Bova, and Kohtaro Shimada all collected two hits in the game, combining for eight RBIs in the game to lead WNE to a victory. 
• SP Matt Lauria went the first five inning, giving up six hits while striking out seven Ospreys. Demitri Boulas, Alex Slezak and Troy Donohue would wrap up the final four innings giving up just two hits to Stockton. 
• Jordan Nitti led Stockton with two hits and three RBIs.  Stockton starter Stephen DeMilio went four innings giving up seven hits and seven runs while walking two and striking out two. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE takes on No. 21 Ithaca College tomorrow, Monday, March 13 at 1:15 PM.