COCOA BEACH, Fla. – The Nichols College baseball team collected 32 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Hilbert College Wednesday afternoon. The Bison, led by six hits, three RBI and four stolen bases from sophomore right fielder Zachary Johnson (Wakefield, R.I.), won by scores of 23-5 and 17-4, and improve to 3-1 on the season.

In the first game, Nichols took a five-run lead in the first inning, and added two more in the second and four in the third. Hilbert got two back in both the third and fourth to cut Nichols' lead to 11-4, but the Bison collected seven runs on four hits in the fifth inning, including a two-run single from Cale LaCasse (Killingly, Conn.), to push their lead ahead to 18-4.

Nichols tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning before Hilbert plated one on an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, making the score 20-5. A four-hit seventh, including an RBI double from Matthew Ziemian (Palmer, Mass.), sent three more Bison across the plate for the 23-5 final.

Tim Smith (Plainfield, Conn.) struck out three and allowed four runs on six hits in four innings before giving way to Jim Fritz (Souderton, Pa.), who allowed one run on four hits while striking out one in the final three innings to pick up the save.

Nichols had 20 hits in the game, including three each from Nicholas Fowler (Salem, Mass.) (3-for-3, 2 RBI), Matthew Whitman (N. Plainfield, N.J.) (3-for-5), and Chris Nemeskal (Swampscott, Mass.) (3-for-6, 3 RBI). Jarred Stuczynski (Whitinsville, Mass.) finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and a pair of runs scored.

In game two, Nichols took a commanding 8-0 lead after two innings, paced by a two-run double from George Sergi (Blackstone, Mass.) and a two-run single by Richard Burke (Newburyport, Mass.). An error that led off the top of the third cost the Bison a run as Hilbert plated one in the frame, and the Hawks chipped away at the lead with two more runs in the fifth on two hits, including their only extra-base knock of the game, an RBI double.

With the score 8-3 in favor of Nichols, the Bison added two in the bottom of the frame, and after giving up one last run in the top of the sixth, exploded for seven runs in the lower half of the inning, capped by a two-run triple from Al Montalto (Wilmington, Mass.).

Austin Martin (Wakefield, R.I.) earned the win, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out four in six innings. Johnson closed out the game, walking one in the final frame.

Nichols faces top-ranked Salisbury Thursday at 9 a.m. in Florida. 

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score