JWU takes two from Riv Baseball

(Manchester, NH) The Johnson and Wales University Wildcats came away with two victories after beating Rivier College 11-3 and 11-2 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action this afternoon.

Game One

JWU (10-8 overall, 1-0 GNAC) took a three run lead in the top half of the first inning as they capitalized on a Rivier error with RBI singles from Alex Pezzuto and Jake Dickerson.

The Raiders (1-16 overall, 0-3 GNAC) answered right back as junior catcher John DiBenedetto (Tampa, FL) hit a two out, two run Home Run to left to cut the deficit to just one. That would be as close as Rivier would get as the Wildcats scored runs in the final four innings.

Freshman Lucas Palma (Bristol, CT) was the losing pitcher for Rivier as he pitched a complete game allowing just 6 earned runs on 14 hits. Mike Wood was the winning hurler as he limited the Raiders to just 3 runs over his six innings of work. Wood allowed four hits and struck out four.

DiBenedetto finished game one going 1-for-3 with a HR , 2 RBI and sophomore JJ Montello (Nashua, NH) was also 1-for-3 with a RBI.

Pezzuto was 2-for-2 with 2 runs scored and a RBI while Jack Hocking and Brian Olofson each had 2 hits. Dickerson was the team leader as he belted out 3 hits (3-for-4) and 3 RBI.

Game Two

The Wildcats (11-8, 2-0) used a six run 2nd inning and a 4-for-4 performance from Pezzuto as they took game two, 11-2.

Rivier (1-17, 0-4) couldn't solve JWU left-hander Alex MacKay as he threw 5 innings of 2 hit baseball while striking out 9. Rob Clark followed and allowed the Raiders to score two runs over the final two innings of baseball.

Freshman Bryar King (Berlin, NH) took the tough loss as he allowed 8 runs in two innings of work before he was removed due to an elbow injury. The trio of senior Kevin Romero (Waterbury, CT), freshman Mike Scanlon (Plantsville, CT) and DiBenedetto gave up just three runs in the final five innings.

Romero was solid at the dish as he went 1-for-2 with a walk and a 2 RBI double in the 6th. Freshman Garris Davis (Brockton, MA) went 1-for-1 with a single to begin the 7th while DiBenedetto finished 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Dickerson and Tyler Pacheco each had two hit games for JWU.

Both teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as GNAC play continues. Johnson and Wales will host Norwich University and Rivier will travel to Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT. Each double header will begin at 1pm.