COCOA BEACH, Fla. (March 13) – The Nichols College baseball team opened the 2010 season at the Cocoa Expo Saturday afternoon with an 8-5 loss to SUNY New Paltz. The Bison led, 5-1, in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a three-run homer and an RBI double from junior first baseman Austin Martin (Wakefield, R.I.), but the Hawks put up five runs in the fifth inning on an error and four hits including a three-run home run from Clinton Boettcher. 

New Paltz added two more runs in the next inning on a pair of doubles and held the Bison to three hits over the final three innings to keep the game in check. Senior Tim Smith (Plainfield, Conn.) took the loss with 11 hits in five innings while striking out three. JC LeBarron (Bennington, Vt.) and Scott Leecock (Palmer, Mass.) combined for one hit over the final three innings. 

Nichols is back in action on Saturday morning when the Bison take on Hilbert in a doubleheader.

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