Freshmen, Fradette Spark 13-4 Win
Easton, Mass. - Freshman Shane Penzone (Hudson, Mass.) tossed seven effective innings and classmate Angelo Bruno (Norwalk, Conn.) added four hits and three RBI as Stonehill took the rubber match of a three game series with Southern New Hampshire, 13-4 on Sunday afternoon on Lou Gorman Field.
Penzone picked up his second win of the season, scattering seven hits while allowing four runs on 106 pitches.
Bruno and senior Dave Fradette (Goffstown, N.H.) provided most of the Stonehill offense, going a combined 8-for-9 with eight RBI.
After the Skyhawks got a single run in the bottom of the second on a Bruno single that scored Fradette, they scored three runs in the third, chasing Penman starter Bryant Gauthier (Lynn, Mass.) who left with an injury after 2.2 innings.
Southern New Hampshire got on the board in the fifth when Bill Murray (Canton, Mass.) singled to right and Skylar Bird (Milford, N.H.) followed with a two-run blast down the left field line that made the score 4-2.
The Skyhawks answered with five runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth, with two runs coming on a Fradette single and another on a Bruno double. Mitch Davis (Bow, N.H.) and Nate Weber (Hanson, Mass.) each added run scoring hits in the inning.
The Penmen again scored two runs in an inning, this time in the seventh, to stay within striking distance. A triple to right field by Murray scored Eric Pelletier (Beverly, Mass.) and he scored on a wild pitch to bring the score to 9-4.
Stonehill put away any thoughts of a comeback however, with four more runs in the bottom half of the inning. The biggest blow was a two-run double by Fradette with one out off of the fifth Penmen pitcher of the day, Adam Flynn (Derby Line, Vt.).
The Skyhawks banged out 16 hits compared to seven from Southern New Hampshire and the two teams combined to leave 17 men on base.
For the day, Fradette was 4-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored, while Bruno added two runs scored to his totals. Davis, Matt Orr (Wilton, Conn.) and Scott Hackett (Bangor, Maine) all had two hits for Stonehill.
Murray was the lone Southern New Hampshire player to record multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
The Skyhawks are now 23-19 overall and 14-11 in Northeast-10 play. With five games remaining, Stonehill remains two games ahead of Bentley in the loss column in the race for the sixth and final berth into the Northeast-10 postseason tournament.
Stonehill returns to the diamond on Tuesday when it hosts Southern Connecticut at 3:30 on Lou Gorman Field.