Box Score WINTER HAVEN – The Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team scored the final eight runs of the game but the College of New Jersey held on for a 10-9 victory Thursday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Stadium.
In its first game in Florida, Eastern (3-1) scored two in the sixth and sent ten batters to the plate in the eighth in scoring six runs on two hits, four walks and an error. Sophomore righty Matt Curry – the fourth Lion pitcher -- came on to pitch a 1-2-3 ninth to preserve the Lions' seventh win in eight decisions. The game was the fifth in Florida for New Jersey.
Averaging 11 runs per game and featuring a .391 team batting average (five regulars over .400), New Jersey roughed up six Eastern pitchers – three of them freshmen -- with 18 hits, all but two of them singles. Coming off a .500 season, New Jersey was 7-for-7 in stolen bases, with senior leadoff hitter John Rizzi stealing five bases to improve to 15-for-15 this year.
Sophomore shortstop Zach Shindler had four hits with a double, drove in three runs and scored twice and sophomore leftfielder Mike Follet plated two runs. Rizzi singled to open the New Jersey first inning, later stole third base and scored. In the second, he singled and stole second and third and scored and in the third reached on a fielder's choice and stole second and third but was stranded.
Eastern redshirt freshman
Jason Staub (Portland) lost his first decision in his first start, evening his record at 1-1. Staub gave up six hits and three earned runs in two innings. Freshman righty
Cole Ogorzalek (Portland) – a teammate of Staub on a high school state championship team – made his collegiate debut. He faced nine batters in two innings as the fourth of six Eastern pitchers, allowing two singles and no runs without a walk or strikeout. Junior righty
Luis Vega (Willimantic) and senior righty
Saxon Herbert (Waterford) each pitched a scoreless inning, Herbert making his debut, as well.
Freshman DH
Alex Parkos (Meriden) was 2-for-2 with a walk for Eastern, belting his second home run in two games with a two-run shot in the sixth. He also walked and scored Eastern's first run in the second and singled with one out in the fourth.
After commiting only two errors in their first three games, the Warriors were charged with four, which led to three unearned runs. Eastern pitchers walked only two batters, however, giving them just 11 walks in 35 innings this year (2.8 per game).
Eastern faces RIT Friday at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale at 4:15 p.m.
