MIDDLETOWN – The Wesleyan University baseball team broke open a tight game by batting around and scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to record a 9-2 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Wednesday afternoon at Andrus Field.

Ranked in a tie for fourth in New England, Wesleyan (11-3) won its fifth straight. Ranked third in New England, Eastern (8-5) dropped its third in a row and only sixth in 31 meetings in the series with the Cardinals.

Wesleyan never trailed after scoring two runs in the first off Eastern senior righty Patrick O'Neill (Thomaston), who lost his first decision after two wins.

Leading 4-2, the Cardinals pulled away by scoring five runs on five hits after there were two out and one aboard in the eighth,  with No. 3 hitter Jordan Farbe and No. 5 hitter Marco Baratt delivering two-run singles and Nick Miceli an RBI double.

Eastern tied the game 2-2 in the third on freshman second baseman Ryan Hood's (Arlington, MA) first career home run, a two-run shot which followed a leadoff single by junior rightfielder Pat Sirois (Cromwell).

Wesleyan junior righty Ethan Rode (3-0) pitched into seventh inning for Wesleyan, fanning six and walking only one while scattering seven hits.
Trailing 4-2, Eastern  loaded the bases in the seventh on a one-out single by junior shortstop Christian Budzik (Cromwell) and two walks, but reliever Miceli induced an inning-ending round ball. Miceli closed it out with 2 1/3 hitless innings for his third save.

Batting leadoff, Hood had two hits and scored a run in addition to his two RBI, with junior centerfielder Alex Zachary (Enfield) also collecting two hits.

Eastern opens its home season Thursday, hosting Salve Regina University at 3:30 p.m.