DUDLEY, Mass. (Mar. 30) – Backed by a six-hit shutout thrown by senior Mat Whitman (North Plainfield, N.J.), the Bison cranked out 12 hits in a 9-0 shutout of Anna Maria in the second half of their home-opening twinbill Wednesday afternoon. Nichols fell to Anna Maria, 5-2, in eight innings of the first game after leading since the second inning of the The Commonwealth Coast Conference tilt. The Bison improve to 6-8 overall and 1-3 in TCCC games, while the AMCATS move to 9-9 overall and 4-4 in league play.

The shutout win marked the first for Whitman, who in his eighth career appearance allowed six hits, fanned two and walked two. He helped his cause with a two-run double in the third inning, and later came around to score to give Nichols a 3-0 lead after three. The Bison tacked on another in the fourth after Chris Bruno (Darien, Conn.) hit a two-out double and was plated on a John Micciche (Holbrook, Mass.) single. Austin Martin (Wakefield, R.I.) hit a two-run blast over the right field fence as part of a five-run fifth for the Bison, also highlighted by an RBI triple from Nick Shaw (Plymouth, Mass.).

Anna Maria had the bases loaded in the second, but Nichols ended the inning with a double play. The AMCATS had runners in scoring position only once more – in the fourth – but Whitman surrendered just two hits through the final three innings to keep the game in check.

Nichols took the early lead in the first game, using a passed ball and a failed pickoff attempt to set up a two-run single by Chris Nemeskal (Swampscott, Mass.) in the second inning. The AMCATS got one back in the top of the third on an RBI double by Jeff Lander (Gloucester, Mass.).

 Nichols held onto the lead until the seventh inning when with two outs and Lander on second, back-to-back singles from Mike Gaurnieri (Wallingford, Conn.)  and Jim McNamara (Worcester, Mass.) sent the tying run across. The AMCATS turned a double play to end the seventh, sending the game to extra innings where they took advantage of an error and a passed ball to put two runners on before Nichols intentionally walked the leadoff hitter, Michael Galvin (Rutland, Mass.). After a lengthy at bat, Lander drew a walk for the go-ahead run, and Guarnieri capped the scoring with a two-run single to right.

Jeff Scafidi (Worcester, Mass.) earned his first win of the season scattering seven hits while striking out two and walking two. Guarnieri finished the game two-for-four with three RBI, while Scafidi helped his cause with a two-for-four day at the plate.

Nichols is back in action on Saturday in a home TCCC doubleheader against Curry. Anna Maria hosts Roger Williams Saturday at noon for a TCCC twinbill at Wachusett Regional High School.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score