East Providence, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales
baseball team split a pair of games against Emerson in a Great
Northeast Athletic Conference double header on Saturday afternoon
at Pierce Field. Emerson won game one by a score of 9-7 before
Johnson & Wales rallied for a 5-1 win in game two of the
doubleheader.
Emerson jumped out to the early 4-0 lead in the top of the first
after the first six batters reached base safely manufacturing four
singles, a double, and a walk. Johnson & Wales responded with
one run in the bottom of the first when senior Jonathan
Melendez (Providence, R.I.) walked to lead off the inning,
reached third on two consecutive wild pitches and scored on a
ground out by junior Mike Murphy
(Pawtucket, R.I.). The Lions tacked on two runs in the top
of the third on a two-RBI single by junior Nick Vennochi
(Melrose, Mass.). The Wildcats answered with one run on a
single by junior Nick Alosco
(Mahopac, N.Y.) scored senior Waldis Garcia
(Lowell, Mass.) cutting the lead to four runs, 6-2. The
Lions produced two more runs, both unearned, in the fourth inning
extending their lead to 8-2. Bryan Sayers
(Chelmsford, Mass.) roped an RBI double which set-up a
three run inning for the Wildcats cutting the Lions lead to just
three runs, 8-5. The Lions tacked their ninth run on in the top of
the seventh inning on a single to center field by Adam
Speakman (Barrington, R.I.). JWU loaded the bases with two
outs in the bottom of seventh when Garcia poked a two run single to
center field cutting the lead to 9-7. Emerson pitcher Zak
Levine (Beverly, Mass.) forced Melendez to flyout to left
field to close out the game and get Levine his fourth win on the
year.
Emerson struck first in the nightcap on an RBI single by Vennochi
in the top of the second inning. JWU tacked on their first run of
the game in the bottom of the third inning on a fielder's choice by
Zach
Boyes (West Warwick, R.I.). In the bottom of the fifth
inning, Boyes took a Levine pitch deep to right center for his
first homerun in a Wildcat uniform. The homerun was a three run
shot that gave the Wildcats their first lead of the day, 4-1, with
each run being produced by Boyes. Senior pitcher Jeff Jordan
(Woodbridge, N.J.) closed out the complete game victory
for the Wildcats as they took the win in game two, 5-1.
Alosco was 4-for-7 on the day for JWU with two RBI and a run
scored while Boyes scored three runs and produced four RBI in the
two games. Vennochi went an impressive 5-for-7 on the day for the
Lions knocking in four RBI.
JWU is now 12-23 overall and 7-5 in the GNAC while Emerson moves
to 12-13 overall and 6-6 in the GNAC for the year. The Wildcats
will return to action on Sunday, April 18th when they host Lasell
for a GNAC twin bill beginning at 12:00 p.m.
