DUDLEY, Mass. –  The Nichols baseball team held on to beat Dean, 6-5, on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action. The Bison pick up their fifth win in a row to improve to 12-16 (6-3 CCC), while Dean falls to 8-22 (5-7 GNAC).
 
The Bison loaded the bases in the first, but Dean limited the damage, only surrendering one run on a Karl Miller sac-fly to make it 1-0. Nichols did most of their damage in the second inning, as a Brad Ellis double to left scored Johnny Knox and Kyle Birks, making it 3-0 Bison. Brennan Hyde followed Ellis with a deep drive to center, clearing the fence for a two-run shot to make it 5-0.
 
Dean responded in the top of the third as the first two batters reached on a single and a double to set up second and third with no outs. An RBI groundout and a sac fly scored the runners to cut the lead to 5-2. Nichols added their sixth run in the fourth on another RBI knock by Ellis to score Knox. After a scoreless fifth, Dean picked up a run in the sixth on three hits before Kyle McCutcheon came on in relief to record the final out of the inning.
 
The score remained 6-3 until the ninth when back-to-back doubles to start the inning for Dean made it 6-4. Nolan Sullivan entered for the Bison to try and record the final three outs for a save. Sullivan got a groundout and line out before a base hit up the middle brought Dean within one. After walking the next batter, Sullivan got a strikeout to end the threat and earn his second save of the campaign.
 
Knox, Ellis, and Hyde ignited the offense from the top of the lineup, with Ellis and Hyde each picking up two hits and combining for five RBI, while Knox found himself on base three times, working two walks and adding a hit. John Steed started the game, going three innings and allowing two runs before handing the ball over to Clark Churchill who tossed 2.2 innings and picked up his first win of the season.
 
The Bison play their third game in as many days tomorrow when they are set to host UMass Boston with the first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.