SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 28) – Senior pitcher Joe Atchue (Grafton, Mass.) tossed a complete-game six-hitter as the Nichols College baseball team defeated Western New England College, 3-1, in the first game of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader Sunday at chilly Trelease Park.

Freshman pitcher Kevin Jefferis fired a two-hitter as the Golden Bears won the nightcap, 4-0.  Western New England College is now 10-4 and 2-2 in The Commonwealth Coast Conference. Nichols is 7-7 and 3-1 in the league.

Jefferis struck out seven and walked only one in raising his record to 2-0 with his second shutout of the season. He also threw a seven-inning two-hitter in a 10-0 win over Brockport on March 16 in Chandler, Arizona.

Junior third baseman Tony Trubia had two hits, including a two-run single in the third.

The Golden Bears scored their third run on a throwing error and run-scoring single by senior shortstop Justin Walz in the fourth inning. Senior center fielder Steve Kearney walked twice and scored both times.

In the first game, Nichols turned three double plays in support of Atchue, who picked up his first win of the season in three decisions. He scattered six hits, fanned four, and walked two.

WNEC took a 1-0 lead in the first on a double by freshman second baseman Mike Rubino and RBI single by Trubia. Walz also singled twice in the game.

Nichols came right back with two runs (one earned) in the second with a two-run single by junior shortstop Mathew Whitman (North Plainfield, N.J.). Junior first baseman Austin Martin (Wakefield, R.I.) knocked in the final run with a RBI single in the seventh.

Junior right fielder Zac Johnson (Wakefield, R.I.) went 3-for-4 for the Bison.

Sophomore Mark DiTommaso gave up eight hits with five strikeouts and only one walk.

Nichols is idle until Friday, April 2^nd when the Bison host Wentworth in a 2 p.m. TCCC doubleheader. 

Story courtesy WNEC Sports Information

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score