Box Score MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Junior righty Brent Pelella (Southbury) survived a two-run Montclair State University first inning by scattering seven hits over the first six innings as the Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team won for the fifth time in its last six games with a 9-2 win Tuesday afternoon at Yogi Berra Stadium.
At right: Brendan Lynch recorded his 100th career hit with a third-inning single (Photo by Heather Avery).
The first of four Eastern (8-4) pitchers, Pelella (3-1) allowed only one earned run through the first six innings while fanning three and walking one. Pelella's ERA is now 1.27, tops among pitchers with at least 20 innings.
Trailing 2-1, Eastern scored eight runs in the middle three innings in defeating Montclair (5-8) for the fourth time in the last six meetings. The programs have combined for six NCAA Division III national championships.
Senior shortstop Brendan Lynch (Wethersfield), senior outfielder Nik Ververis (Plainfield), sophomore DH Andrew Scully (Stratford) and senior first baseman Gavin Lavallee (New Milford) each had two hits in Eastern's 13-hit attack. Lynch's first hit – a single with a runner aboard in the third – was the 100th hit of his career.
Lavallee reached five times by also walking twice and getting hit by a pitch, scored three runs, and stole two bases. Scully drove in two runs.
Down 2-1, Eastern moved in front for good with three runs in the fourth against new pitcher Connor Lindsay, a freshman righty. Lindsay struck out the side but not before giving up all three runs in the inning on four hits and a walk. Lindsay fanned two batters after Lavallee opened the inning with a single, but Lavallee stole second and scored the tying run on a throwing error on senior centerfielder Joe Perez's (North Branford) infield single. Perez then stole second, Lynch walked, and Ververis and senior second baseman Mike Vaccarelli (Wolcott) stroked RBI singles.
Sophomore righty Patrick O'Neill (Thomaston) and junior lefty Matt D'Orsi (West Hartford) each pitched a hitless inning in place of Pelella, and freshman righty Luis Vega (Willimantic) closed it out by allowing a hit and walk in the ninth.
In addition to its 13 hits, Eastern batters were walked nine times and were hit by two pitches, and the Warriors stole seven bases.
Eastern hosts Purchase College Wednesday at 4 p.m.
